The Republic of the Congo has declared an epidemic of a virus known as mpox, following the confirmation of 19 cases spread across five departments, including the capital Brazzaville.
No fatalities have been reported thus far, according to Health Minister Gilbert Mokoki’s statement on Tuesday.
The minister urged the public to take precautionary measures, such as avoiding close contact with suspected cases, refraining from contact with animals, and not handling game meat with bare hands.
In an effort to combat stigma and racism associated with the term “monkeypox,” the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially designated the virus as mpox.
Mpox was initially identified in humans in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970, as reported by the WHO. Symptoms typically include fever, body aches, and skin lesions.
In 2022, the WHO declared a global health emergency due to an outbreak that spread to Europe and North America.
