The Ministry of Health’s Monkeypox Incident Management System in the Democratic Republic of the Congo recently provided an update on the ongoing outbreak. Since the beginning of the year until June 25, the country has recorded 5,236 suspected cases of Monkeypox, with a sad toll of 229 deaths, or a lethality of 4.6%. These cases have been reported in 17 of the country’s 26 provinces, or about 65% of the territory.
The data shows that Equateur province was the most affected, recording 1,545 cases, or around 31% of the total. It also recorded the highest number of deaths, with 108 cases, a lethality of 6.9%. The Monkeypox epidemic particularly affects children aged 5 to 15, who represent approximately 32% of total cases.
The Monkeypox incident management system faces several challenges in its fight against this outbreak. First of all, the disease continues to progress in the country, which makes the task of eradication even more difficult. Additionally, there is a shortage of care kits, which limits the ability to effectively treat infected patients. Case detection, whether clinically or biologically, is also insufficient, leading to under-detection of the epidemic.
Another major challenge is the lack of community involvement in the fight against monkeypox. Increased awareness and active participation of the population are essential to contain the spread of the disease. Finally, it is also necessary to involve other sectors, such as education and the media, in the effort to fight the epidemic.
In conclusion, the Monkeypox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains a significant challenge for the incident management system. However, by addressing these challenges and mobilizing the whole of society, it is possible to contain this epidemic and protect the Congolese population