WHO Warns of Increasing Cases of "Mpox" Virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The World Health Organization announced on Saturday that 12,569 cases of the "Mpox" virus and 581 related deaths have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo as of November 12 this year, marking the highest annual case count ever. Human infection with this infectious disease, previously known as monkeypox, was first discovered in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The spread of "Mpox" remained confined for years to many countries in West and Central Africa until outbreaks began to emerge as it transmitted to humans from infected animals. The World Health Organization reported that all 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, except for four, have reported cases, with new infections appearing in geographic areas that have never reported "Mpox" before, including Kinshasa, Lualaba, and South Kivu. The organization expressed concern over the rapid transmission of the virus's variant, stating that it is working with the Congolese Ministry of Health to assess the situation. The organization noted that the global outbreak of the virus has primarily affected men who have sex with men and men who have had sex with multiple partners. Contaminated objects can also transmit the virus. The initial symptoms of infection are fever, headache, muscle pain, and back pain in the first five days, followed by a rash that appears on the face, palms, and soles of the feet, followed by painful blisters and spots, and finally scaling. Patients usually recover on their own after two to four weeks. The disease is more severe in children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems.