Uganda detects two Mpox cases imported from DRC

UGANDA—Uganda has announced the detection of two Mpox cases imported from the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the western district of Kasese.

Henry Mwebesa, Director General of Health Services at Uganda’s Ministry of Health, made this revelation in a statement issued in Kampala, noting these cases were among six suspected infections in the border towns of Mpondwe and Bwera.

This news comes shortly after Kenya reported a Mpox outbreak alert following the confirmation of a case at the Taita-Taveta one-stop border checkpoint. Subsequent testing and contact tracing in Kenya have not revealed any new cases.

The Ugandan samples that tested positive for the viral disease came from a 37-year-old Ugandan woman married to a Congolese national and a 22-year-old Congolese woman.

 Mwebesa clarified that the transmission did not occur within Uganda, and to date, no secondary transmission has been linked to these two cases.

 “So far, nine contacts are under follow-up,” he noted, emphasizing Uganda’s vigilance in monitoring the evolving situation in the DRC, where cases have been reported in nearly all provinces, including the latest in North Kivu, specifically Goma.

To address the situation, a rapid response team has been deployed to Kasese to work with district authorities to control the imported cases.

 The East African Community (EAC) had earlier issued an alert, urging its eight member states to educate citizens on how to protect themselves and prevent the spread of Mpox.

This regional alert followed reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) warning of Mpox outbreaks in Burundi and the DRC, both EAC members.

Mpox, or monkeypox, is transmitted through close contact with infected animals or humans, contaminated objects, and respiratory droplets.

 According to WHO guidelines, the disease causes symptoms such as skin rash, fever, intense headache, muscle aches, back pain, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes