Burundi’s health ministry has confirmed three cases of mpox in the commercial capital, Bujumbura, and a nearby town, Isare. The cases were identified following tests conducted by a local laboratory and the World Health Organization, according to Health Minister Lydwine Baradahana.
“The three cases are being treated in health facilities and are improving. Contact cases have been identified and are under observation,” Baradahana stated in a Thursday evening announcement. “The health ministry reassures the Burundian population that all necessary measures have been taken to address this disease.”
Baradahana did not specify which variant of the mpox virus was confirmed. Mpox has been endemic in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo for decades, with a new variant of the clade I virus emerging last year.
The monkeypox virus, responsible for mpox, spreads through close contact, causing flu-like symptoms and a painful rash. While most cases are mild, the infection can be fatal. In 2022, a different, less severe form of mpox—clade IIb—spread globally, primarily through sexual contact between men. This outbreak led the WHO to declare a public health emergency, which has since ended, although the agency continues to monitor the situation as mpox remains a public health threat.
