Mpox Patients In Uganda Increase To 11 People, Zero Death Cases

Illustration of the patient's treatment IV tube at the hospital. (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The number of patients in Uganda infected with the new variant of the monkeypox or monkeypox (mox) virus has increased to 11 people. With the number of deaths zero (0) as of Saturday, September 14 local time.

Director General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) Uganda, Henry Gatyanga Mwebesa said, all patients are infected by the strain of the 1b clade virus, which is believed to be a more deadly variant and can spread through skin to skin contact.

Citing Anadolu via Antara, Sunday, September 15, the country's health authorities first reported the disease outbreak on July 24, provided that the virus entered Udanda from the Democratic Republic of Congo (RD Congo).

Uganda borders the Congo RD, where the current outbreak of thempox begins in January 2023.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared thempox, known as monkeypox, as a public health emergency and had come to international attention on August 14, after a new variant that appeared more easily spread between humans was identified.

WHO also emphasizes that the pomx is "not the new COVID-19."

According to WHO, the African region is currently experiencing an increase in cases, with 14 countries affected.

Nearly all reported cases in Africa are in the Congo RD, where most of the more than 500 deaths from thempox have been recorded.

Mpox infection causes flu-like and lesion-filled symptoms, and spreads through close physical contact.

The disease can also be transmitted through virus-infected objects such as beds, clothes, and towels.

The disease is usually mild, but can be fatal.

The vaccine, which is considered an important step in preventing the spread, has just arrived at the Congo RD.