Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is on the rise in the Democratic Republic of the Congo while a new mutation leads to human-to-human transmission. An MSF medical coordinator explains the recent surge of Mpox and how we are helping stem transmission.
Mpox cases have been on the rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for more than two years, and the situation has worsened in recent months. As the virus has mutated, leading to human-to human transmission, there has been a surge in the number of people infected and suspected cases in camps for displaced people.
Dr. Louis Albert Massing, medical coordinator for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in DRC outlines the Mpox situation.
What is Mpox and what risks does it pose?
Massing outlines the viral disease: “Mpox is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It is transmitted by close contact between individuals or with infected animals. It has been endemic in Central Africa and West Africa since the 1970s, and spread rapidly around the world in 2022 and 2023, with tens of thousands of cases linked to the West African variant reported in more than 110 countries.”
In terms of signs and symptoms: “Mpox symptoms include rashes, lesions, and pain, all of which require supportive treatment to avoid further complications. Most patients treated recover within a month, but the disease can be fatal if left untreated. In DRC, where the mortality rate for the strain is much higher than in West Africa, more than 479 people have died since the start of the year. By comparison, the WHO estimates that Mpox claimed the lives of 89 people worldwide in 2022.”
What is the Mpox situation in DRC?
With the current outbreak, Massing explains: “Historically, Mpox is endemic in 11 of the country’s 26 provinces. However, the number of cases has been rising sharply for more than two years, leading health authorities to declare an epidemic in December 2022. The number of cases tripled in 2023, with more than 14,600 suspected cases reported and 654 deaths. But in 2024, the situation has worsened further. Between January and mid-July, more than 12,300 suspected cases were reported, and 23 provinces were affected.”
He adds: “The acceleration of the epidemic is worrying, especially as a genetic mutation has been identified in South Kivu, with human-to-human transmission going uninterrupted for months. Another cause for concern is that the disease has been recorded in the camps for displaced people around Goma in North Kivu, where the extreme population density is making the situation very critical. There is a real risk of an explosion, given huge population movements in and out of the DRC.”
What is the vaccine situation in DRC?
In terms of prevention, Massing outlines: “DRC has validated two vaccines and is trying to obtain supplies, but at this stage, no vaccine is available yet. Negotiations are underway with certain countries and priority areas are being identified. We hope it will soon be sorted out and that sufficient vaccines will be supplied to the country in the main epidemic areas.”
How are MSF teams responding to Mpox in the meantime?
As to the response by the medics: “We have set up several interventions to support the response to this outbreak. Since mid-June, one of our teams has been supporting Uvira health zone in South Kivu. We are supporting the provision of care for people with severe symptoms at the Uvira general referral hospital, following up with patients with milder forms of the disease on an outpatient basis, and isolating suspected cases.”
Furthermore, Massing proposes: “The epidemic is spreading in areas with a wide range of demographic and geographical characteristics. The response must be not only multisectoral but also adapted to each context. Pending the arrival of vaccines, partners must support other key aspects of the response including laboratory analysis, surveillance, isolation, awareness-raising, and, of course, patient care. Today, all these aspects suffer from shortcomings and require enormous resources to function properly.”
