Gabon reports first mpox case as WHO details spread in other newly affected nations – University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Gabon's health ministry today announced the nation's first mpox case, which involves a resident who had recently spent 2 weeks in Uganda, another country recently affected by expanding outbreaks in Africa.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday posted an update on the latest African countries affected by mpox outbreaks, noting that the expansion in the region is unprecedented. "The modes of transmission in these countries are not fully described yet and are likely to include exclusive human-to-human transmission," it said, adding that the virus seems to be spreading through sexual networks, then on to households and other settings.

In other related developments, in an exclusive report today, Reuters said the WHO has said that Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF can start buying mpox vaccine before WHO clearance as a way to speed up immunization. WHO authorization is expected in the next few weeks.

As the epicenter of the outbreak rages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), social media reactions following the WHO's emergency declaration reflect mistrust and skepticism, especially toward local authorities, the group Insecurity Insight reported today. It examined 650 Facebook comments published this month. For example, they accuse local officials of exploiting the situation for financial gain and allege embezzlement of aid funds.

In a statement, Gabon's health ministry said its surveillance system has detected six suspected cases, and one sample has tested positive.

A few days before the 30-year-old man arrived back from Uganda, he experienced fever and fatigue, followed by a rash. He was hospitalized and placed in isolation on August 21. Contact tracing is under way.

Gabon's case lifts the number of African countries affected since the start of the year to at least 14.

The WHO said of the latest African countries affected by mpox outbreaks, Burundi, is the hardest-hit of five countries covered in the report.

As of August 17, officials have reported 474 suspected cases, and, of 358 patients tested, 142 were positive for mpox, which was identified as the novel clade 1b virus circulating in eastern DRC.

Confirmed cases have been reported in 26 of Burundi's 49 districts, with Bujumbura Nord, an urban area,accounting for roughly one third of the cases. Of patients, 55.6% are male, and children younger than 5 years old make up 60.3% of cases. No deaths have been reported.

Meanwhile, only a few cases have been confirmed in three other newly affected countries.

Kenya has confirmed one case, which involves clade 1b. The 42-year-old Kenyan man had recently visited Uganda and was traveling through Rwanda to Tanzania when his mpox illness was identified. Results are pending on another suspected case, and tests were negative for 12 others.

Rwanda in July reported two lab-confirmed cases, one involving a 33-year-old woman who frequently travels to the DRC and whose illness was detected at an entry point. In addition, a 34-year-old man had recently visited the country; his infection was found at a hospital.

In August Rwanda reported two additional cases, involving a man who had been in Burundi and a man who had visited the DRC. Sequencing has confirmed clade 1b.

Uganda's first two confirmed were identified in July, both of which involved clade 1b. The patients, women ages 37 and 22, were identified at a screening point at the DRC border.

Finally, Ivory Coast has confirmed seven cases this year from three health districts, which belong to the clade 2 strain circulating globally. Four of the patients are male, and all are older than 15 years.

The country has reported mpox before, but not since clade 2 began circulating.

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Gabon reports first mpox case as WHO details spread in other newly affected nations - University of Minnesota Twin Cities