PARIS — Health authorities reported at least 25 cases of a dangerous new strain of mpox in Goma, a city in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, primarily affecting displaced individuals living in camps due to surrounding conflicts.
Since the beginning of 2023, Congo has recorded over 20,000 mpox cases and more than 1,000 deaths, predominantly among children. This year alone, more than 11,000 cases have been confirmed, including 443 fatalities.
In response to the rising infection rates, authorities have approved the use of vaccines; however, these vaccines are not yet available outside of clinical trials in the country.
Cris Kacita, head of the national response team for the mpox epidemic, stated that the majority of new cases are emerging from camps for displaced persons. He highlighted that the reported cases involve a new strain of the virus that is spreading through South Kivu province, with Goma serving as the capital of the adjacent North Kivu province.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and researchers expressed concern last month regarding the mpox situation in Congo, particularly the emergence of this new variant in South Kivu.
Mpox, historically endemic in Congo, has been characterized by a new variant of clade I that surfaced last year. The infection, which spreads through close contact, causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. While most cases are mild, severe outcomes are possible.
A different strain, clade IIb, was responsible for a global outbreak in 2022, primarily spreading through sexual contact among men who have sex with men. This led the WHO to declare a public health emergency, which has since concluded, although mpox continues to pose a public health threat.
Kacita noted that genomic sequencing conducted by the national biomedical research institute in Goma confirmed the virus’s prolonged circulation in the city. He warned, “The risk here is the promiscuity in the camps and the speed with which the epidemic is spreading.”
The ongoing conflict in Congo’s eastern region has resulted in hundreds of thousands of people living in overcrowded camps, with the number of displaced individuals rising since the M23 rebel group launched a significant offensive in 2022. Efforts to contain the militia’s advance have faced challenges from both national and regional military responses.