Uganda's mpox cases rise to 41: Health official

The number of confirmed cases of mpox in Uganda has risen to 41 within two weeks, according to the data revealed at a regional consortium here on the viral disease.

Atek Kagirita, Ugandan deputy incident commander for mpox, told experts from Africa, who convened in Uganda late Wednesday for the Interdisciplinary Consortium for Epidemic Research Symposium on Mpox, that the disease was spreading rapidly in the central region, Xinhua news agency reported.

The symposium was held as the regional countries were seeking to build partnerships for a more coordinated mpox response.

"Currently we have 41 confirmed cases, some are still under isolation," Kagirita said, adding no deaths were recorded yet and that they had continued to track contacts, most of whom were members of fishing communities.

"There is some form of clustering among fishing communities along lakes. Nakasongola (central Uganda) is leading, and this is majorly being driven by fishing grounds. The population is a little bit mobile, a lot of bars and night activities," said Kagirita when addressing over 100 experts at the event.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It is spread through close contact, with symptoms including fever, swelling of the lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, skin rash, and back pain.

Uganda declared a mpox outbreak in August.

The World Health Organisation later in August declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, sounding the alarm over its potential for further international transmission.