Mpox Outbreak 2025: Congo at Epicenter in Africa

Current Situation in the DRC and Africa

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is now at the center of a rapidly expanding mpox virus outbreak. Since late 2023, a new variant known as Clade Ib has been spreading across borders into:

• Burundi
• Kenya
• Uganda
• Rwanda
• South Sudan
• Tanzania

💉 Over 650,000 vaccine doses have been distributed in Africa — 90% in the DRC alone.

🧪 Testing labs have expanded from 2 to 23 facilities across 12 provinces. But challenges like armed conflict, insecurity, and a $220+ million funding gap are limiting containment efforts.

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❓ What Is Mpox?

Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is a zoonotic viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) — a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus, closely related to smallpox.

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🔬 Virology and Clade Classification

MPXV is an enveloped, brick-shaped double-stranded DNA virus.

There are two main clades:

• Clade 1 (Congo Basin) – more severe illness
• Clade 2 (West African) – typically milder

🧬 The Clade Ib variant, newly identified, shows higher household and sexual transmission rates.

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🔄 Mpox Transmission & Symptoms

How It Spreads

• Direct contact with skin lesions or body fluids
• Respiratory droplets from prolonged close contact
• Contaminated objects (bedding, clothing)
• Sexual and intimate contact in current outbreaks

Symptoms

• Fever, chills, fatigue
• Muscle and back pain
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Rash (macules → pustules → scabs)
• Painful ulcers (mouth, genitals)

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🌍 Global Spread & Epidemiology

Mpox was historically endemic to Central and West Africa. Since 2022, global outbreaks have occurred due to Clade IIb, with the virus now spreading in non-endemic countries.

High-risk groups include:

• Healthcare workers
• Immunocompromised people
• Children
• People in crowded or high-contact environments

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🧪 How Mpox Is Diagnosed

• PCR tests from lesion swabs are the gold standard
• Diagnosis relies on symptoms, travel history, and contact tracing
• Rapid testing kits are being deployed to improve field response

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💊 Mpox Treatment & Antiviral Options

Most mpox infections are mild and self-limiting, but severe cases may require antiviral drugs.

Supportive Care:

• Pain relief
• Fluid support
• Sitz baths, topical anesthetics
• Stool softeners for painful defecation

Antivirals:

1. Tecovirimat (TPOXX): 600 mg orally twice a day for 14 days
2. Cidofovir: Used with probenecid (kidney toxic)
3. Brincidofovir: Less kidney-toxic, monitor liver enzymes
4. Trifluridine eye drops: For ocular involvement
5. Vaccinia Immune Globulin (VIG): For immunocompromised patients

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⚠️ Mpox Complications

Severe mpox may lead to:

• Ocular infections
• Encephalitis
• Bacterial superinfections
• Necrotizing skin lesions
• Urethral obstruction

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🛡️ Mpox Prevention Strategies

Level	Prevention Focus
Primordial	Wildlife handling, public education
Primary	Vaccination, PPE use
Secondary	PCR testing, contact tracing, post-exposure care
Tertiary	Long-term care for complicated infections

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🧭 Conclusion

The mpox crisis in the DRC is no longer a local issue — it’s a continental and global threat. Urgent action, including funding, rapid diagnostics, and wider antiviral access, is critical to stop further spread of the virus across Africa and beyond.

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📚 References

1. Africa CDC & WHO – Africa CDC and WHO Update Mpox Strategy, April 17, 2025
2. UpToDate – Treatment and Prevention of Mpox, March 2025
3. CDC – Mpox Global Outbreak Data
4. Wikimedia Commons – Images under Public Domain / Creative Commons License

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