Brazzaville: The Republic of the Congo has officially declared an epidemic of mpox after confirming 19 cases across five departments, including the capital, Brazzaville. Health Minister Gilbert Mokoki announced on Tuesday that there have been no reported deaths thus far.
Mokoki urged the public to take necessary precautions, including avoiding close contact with suspected cases, refraining from contact with animals, and avoiding handling game meat without proper protection.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has opted to use the term “mpox” instead of “monkeypox” to refer to the virus, citing concerns regarding stigma and racism associated with the latter term. First detected in humans in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970, mpox presents symptoms such as fever, body aches, and skin lesions.
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In 2022, the WHO declared an outbreak of mpox that spread to Europe and North America as a global health emergency.
