22 Mar 2024 | 10:26 AM UTC
Republic of Congo: Elevated monkeypox (mpox) activity reported in multiple areas, especially Cuvette, in March
Elevated monkeypox (mpox) activity reported in multiple areas in the Republic of Congo in March. Use basic health precautions.
Health officials have reported elevated monkeypox (mpox) activity in multiple areas in the Republic of Congo, with a total of 43 mpox cases (19 confirmed; 24 suspected) reported Jan. 1-March 10. This is compared to the 26 mpox cases reported from 2022-2023. Cuvette (14 confirmed; 17 suspected) is the most affected, followed by Likouala (2 confirmed; 3 suspected), Plateaux (2 confirmed), Pointe-Noire (1 confirmed; 2 suspected), and Brazzaville (2 suspected). As disease surveillance and contact tracing continue, officials will likely identify additional cases in the coming weeks. This report represents the most up-to-date information as of March 22.
Practice basic health precautions, including frequent handwashing with soap and water, covering the nose and mouth when coughing, and avoiding obviously ill individuals. Avoid overcrowded areas and consider using safe sexual practices, such as physical barriers (condoms), in countries reporting mpox transmission. Seek medical attention if symptoms develop within two weeks of being in affected areas. Vaccines are available but limited.
Mpox is endemic in densely forested regions of West, Central, and East Africa. Human-to-human transmission occurs among people in close physical contact, with an increase in recent cases linked to sexual contact. The current outbreak highlights the importance of vigilant, safe sexual practices, and mpox can be transmitted while the infected person displays few or no symptoms; however, the risk is currently assessed as low for individuals not routinely engaging with multiple or anonymous sexual partners.
Mpox is caused by a virus that belongs to the same family as the virus that causes smallpox. However, mpox is not the same as smallpox and does not have the same capacity for rapid human-to-human transmission. Mpox is mainly transmitted to humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected rodents or primates. Human-to-human transmission primarily occurs through close personal contact with an infected individual via respiratory droplets, direct contact with bodily fluids, or indirect contact with lesion material (e.g., contaminated clothing or bedding). Symptoms typically appear 6-16 days after exposure but can develop up to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms generally include fever, headache, muscle aches and backaches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and a distinctive rash characterized by lesions that progress through several stages before falling off.
