Burundi records 171 mpox cases

NAIROBI, Aug 22 (AFP): Burundi has confirmed 171 cases of mpox, the health minister said on Thursday, following confirmation of the first cases in the country last month.

Formerly known as monkeypox, mpox is an infectious disease caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals that can also be passed from human to human through close physical contact.

"We already had a cumulative of 171 confirmed positive cases, 137 of which are still active," Health Minister Polycarpe Ndayikeza told AFP.

"So far there have been no deaths from mpox in Burundi," he added.

Three cases of mpox were detected in Burundi in late July, with the health ministry reporting 153 confirmed cases on August 18.

"The epidemic continues to gain ground," the ministry said last month, adding it was in the process of creating isolation wards in district hospitals to care for mpox patients.

An official told AFP the cases detected appeared to be the "new variant" spreading in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.