Addressing the evolving outbreak of Mpox disease in the Democratic
Republic of Congo: Risk factors, challenges, and recommendations.
Abstract
Mpox, a zoonotic disease tracing its origins to 1958, has garnered
significant global attention, prompting the World Health Organization
(WHO) to declare the Mpox epidemic a Public Health Emergency of
International Concern (PHEIC) on July 23, 2022—the seventh such
declaration in history. This contagious disease spreads through close
contacts, featuring key symptoms such as fever, chills, headaches,
weariness, asthenia, lymph node swellings, back pain, and myalgia.
Notably, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) stands among the top 10
countries globally grappling with a substantial number of Mpox cases
within the ongoing multi-country outbreak. Between January 1 and
November 12, 2023, a staggering 12,569 suspected Mpox cases, including
581 suspected Mpox-related deaths (with a case fatality ratio of 4.6%),
were documented across 156 health zones in 22 out of 26 provinces in
DRC. This commentary delves into the epidemiology of the Mpox outbreak
in the DRC, explores transmission risk factors, addresses the challenges
in Mpox control, and puts forth insightful recommendations to manage the
Mpox outbreak in DRC and worldwide.