Since the beginning of the year, an mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed the lives of 548 individuals, affecting all provinces, according to a statement from the health minister on Thursday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the mpox surge in Africa a global public health emergency on Wednesday, expressing concern over the increasing cases in the DRC and its spread to neighboring countries.
Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba, in a video message viewed by AFP on Thursday, reported that the country has documented 15,664 potential cases and 548 fatalities since the start of the year. The DRC, comprising 26 provinces and a population of approximately 100 million, has seen the most significant impact in provinces such as South Kivu, North Kivu, Tshopo, Equateur, North Ubangi, Tshuapa, Mongala, and Sankuru, according to Kamba.
The WHO's declaration followed the African Union's health watchdog's own declaration of a public health emergency due to the escalating outbreak.
