DR Congo reports highest mpox cases since 2020: WHO

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday warned that the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to face risk due to mpox outbreak, as the country recorded 13,000 suspected cases – the highest since 2020.

The cases as well as over 600 related deaths reported from Jan. 1 through mid-November, WHO's technical lead for mpox told a UN press briefing in Geneva.

"This is the highest number of annual cases reported compared to the prior peak of more than 6,000 cases reported in 2020," Rosamund Lewis said.

Lewis warned that the outbreak is expanding geographically, including to provinces "not previously known to have mpox."

She added that mpox cases have been reported in 156 health zones from 22 out of 26 provinces.

"There is an urgent need to invest in capacity for detection, confirmation, and response," she said, adding that WHO is working with the Health Ministry to support distribution of sample collection and transport kits to reference hospitals and logistical support.

"The outbreak in DRC is a reminder of the need for continued global collaboration and coordination to control and eventually eliminate human-to-human transmission of mpox," she said.

Last year, the WHO renamed monkeypox to mpox, saying the name of the disease had acted as "racist and stigmatizing language."