A laboratory-confirmed case of mpox has been identified in Bunia, a city in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, raising concerns about a potential resurgence of the disease. The case emerges as the country grapples with a significant Ebola outbreak in the same province.
The confirmation of mpox in Bunia, a city already at the center of a major Ebola outbreak, strains the Democratic Republic of Congo's already overburdened health system and raises concerns about the potential for co-infections and the spread of both diseases.
A laboratory-confirmed case of mpox has been identified in Bunia, a city in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a local hospital director and two health officials. The discovery raises concerns about a potential resurgence of the viral disease, which causes fever and skin lesions, as the country is already battling a severe Ebola outbreak in the same province.
The Ebola epidemic was declared on May 15 in Ituri province, where Bunia is located. Government data published on Thursday indicates it has infected 7,890 people and resulted in 3,799 deaths. Mpox was previously declared a national public health emergency in Congo in April, following a three-year outbreak that saw over 34,000 confirmed cases nationwide. Authorities had cautioned that the virus was not eradicated and could resurge.
The confirmed mpox patient is a 21-year-old woman who was admitted to hospital on Thursday with body lesions consistent with the disease. She tested positive on Friday, hospital director Davin Ambitapio Musungufu and two health officials told Reuters. A second woman, aged 32, is being treated as a suspected mpox case and is awaiting laboratory results. Both patients have been isolated and are receiving care from a dedicated medical team.
Investigations are underway to trace contacts and determine the source of the infection. Dr. Adelard Lofungola, a health official involved in Congo's mpox response, stated that five suspected mpox cases in Bunia are currently under investigation. Health officials have noted an increase in mpox cases in various parts of the country over the past month. Lofungola added that the ongoing Ebola outbreak is straining the health system, complicating efforts to monitor other infections.
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