‘Exponential surge’ in Mpox cases with thousands dead in outbreak which is ‘mainly affecting children’

CASES of Mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DCR) have surged at an 'exponential' rate, health officials have warned. The clade I strain detected in the DRC causes more severe illness and deaths than the clade II virus that is known for triggering the global outbreak in 2022. Since the beginning of 2024, a total of 11,166 suspected cases, including about 450 deaths have been reported in the country, according to a new report.

Many children have been infected, including newborn babies during pregnancy. Patrick Muyaya, a Congolese government spokesperson, said the report revealed "an exponential increase in the number of cases". It comes just days after the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned of the threat of a new strain of mpox described as "the most dangerous yet".

The latest outbreak shows "no sign of slowing down", said WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Cases are being driven by sexual transmission but there is evidence this particular strain can also be passed on through c lose skin-to-skin contact , which makes it more dangerous. Clade I is also more deadly than clade II, with a fatality rate of around five per cent in adults and 10 per cent in children, compared to three per cent for its predecessor.

A worldwide epidemic of mpox two years ago was brought under control by vaccinating vulnerable groups, which were mostly men who slept with men. Most read in Health But there is poor access to vaccines and medications in DR Congo and local health officials are w.