Monkeypox outbreak declared in eastern DR Congo

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday declared a monkeypox outbreak in the eastern Maniema province.

At least 191 cases of monkeypox, including 24 deaths, have been recorded in Maniema since Nov. 4, said Afani Idrissa Mangala, the province’s governor.

He told reporters that samples collected from patients in various areas of the province were sent for testing at the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the capital Kinshasa.

The tests confirmed the prevalence of the monkeypox virus in the region, Mangala added.

He urged the central government and other partners to support Maniema, which has also been battling a measles outbreak since last month, in its time of need.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the world’s first human case of monkeypox was in DR Congo in 1970.

It has since been reported in people in several other central and western African countries, including Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

The viral zoonotic disease causes fever, rashes, muscle pains, swollen lymph nodes and exhaustion among other symptoms.