WHO: Mpox cases in South Kivu may be 'plateauing', but DRC seeing a 'general rising trend' in cases

The Democratic Republic of Congo is seeing a general rising trend in mpox cases, according to a World Health Organisation report published on Monday.

But the organisation stated that cases may have plateaued in the South Kivu region, where the more infectious variant of the disease was first detected to be spreading.

Currently around 50,000 people in the country have been immunised against the disease.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and prevention estimates that 3 million vaccines are needed to halt the outbreak.

Across the border in Burundi, the WHO says the outbreak is also being driven by the new form of the disease.

In the past two weeks, the country has recorded 200 new mpox cases each week.

Uganda reported 100 new cases last week. The WHO says the virus in the country is spreading primarily through sex, with most of the cases in adults.

The symptoms of the disease include skin lesions, fever and a headache. It is mainly spread through skin to skin contact.

A handful of cases have also been reported beyond the African continent, including in Sweden, as well as in the UK, which announced its first case last week.