Mpox cases rise in Africa with reports of severe symptoms and increasing global spread

There have been over 170 confirmed cases of mpox in Burundi, with no reported deaths, and 14,000 suspected cases this year. The country shares a border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, where several recent mpox outbreaks have occurred. A case of mpox has also been reported in Gabon, in a man who recently returned from a trip to Uganda. The mpox virus is transmitted to humans through infected animals and can also be passed from human to human through close physical contact. The recent uptick in cases in East Africa is attributed to the Clade 1b strain of the virus.