Uganda has reported its first death linked to mpox, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 164.
Henry Kyobe Bosa, the incident commander at the Ministry of Health, announced that the death occurred in the mid-western district of Masindi, although the patient was a resident of Hoima. He emphasized the necessity for the public to follow health precautions, stating, “We had warned about the potential for deaths.”
The latest figures reveal that Kampala, the national capital, recorded 11 new cases in the past 24 hours as of Monday, while at least 84 patients have successfully recovered from the virus.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is caused by the monkeypox virus and is transmitted through close contact. Symptoms typically include fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, skin rash, and back pain.
In August, the World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, highlighting the potential for global spread.
In response to the outbreak, Ugandan authorities have intensified preventive measures, which include enhanced surveillance, effective case management, risk communication, community engagement, and public awareness campaigns aimed at curbing the virus’s transmission.
