From January 2022 to June 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) recorded 99,176 confirmed cases of mpox, known as monkeypox, in 116 countries. During the period, 208 deaths caused by the disease were also recorded.
Data released on Monday (12) by the organization show that, in June alone, 934 cases were confirmed, and four deaths were reported in 26 countries.
The regions most affected in June, according to the number of confirmed cases, are Africa (567 cases), America (175 cases), Europe (100 cases), Western Pacific (81 cases) and Southeast Asia (11 cases). The Eastern Mediterranean did not report any cases during this period.
In the African continent, the Democratic Republic of Congo accounts for 96% of the confirmed cases in June. The WHO warns, however, that the country has limited access to testing in rural areas.
“The number of confirmed cases therefore underestimates the true burden of the disease in the country,” the organization added. In addition, preliminary data for the months of July and August 2024, which were not included in the report, point to the expansion of the virus in Africa.
At least four new countries in East Africa, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, have reported their first cases of mpox – all linked to the expanding outbreak in the region. Ivory Coast has reported an outbreak of the disease, but of another variant, while South Africa has confirmed two more cases.
Between January 2022 and June 2024, ten countries accounted for the majority of confirmed cases globally: United States (33,191), Brazil (11,212), Spain (8,084), France (4,272), Colombia (4,249), Mexico (4,124), United Kingdom (3,952), Peru (3,875), Germany (3,857) and Democratic Republic of the Congo (2,999).
What is Mpox
Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It can cause a painful rash, swollen lymph nodes, and fever. Most people recover completely, but some become very ill.
Routes of transmission
Among the modes of transmission of the disease, sexual contact is the most commonly reported (19,102 of 22,801 cases or 83.8%), followed by non-sexual contact between people.
Symptoms
Among the cases in which at least one symptom is reported, the most common is rash (88.5%), followed by fever (57.9%) and systemic rash or genital rash (54.8% and 49.5%, respectively).
Profile
Also, according to the WHO report, 96.4% of confirmed cases of mpox (87,189 of 90,410 cases) are male, with an average age of 34 years.
Most of confirmed cases in individuals up to the age of 17 were reported in the Americas (709 of 1,161 cases; 61%). In countries historically affected by mpox, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, children under 15 years of age represent the majority of reported cases.
Source: Agência Brasil