Mpox Outbreak Sparks Alarms in Goma's Displaced Camps

A new strain of mpox is spreading rapidly in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in camps housing conflict-displaced people. With 25 new cases detected, authorities are struggling to contain the outbreak. Efforts to vaccinate are hindered by limited vaccine availability. Since 2023, Congo has recorded 20,000 cases and 1,000 deaths.

Authorities have detected at least 25 cases of a perilous new strain of mpox spreading through Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, primarily in camps sheltering those fleeing nearby conflicts, health officials announced on Wednesday. The nation has reported 20,000 cases and over 1,000 deaths from mpox largely among children since the start of 2023. This year's toll includes more than 11,000 cases and 443 deaths.

Recently approved vaccines to curb the surge are currently unavailable outside clinical trials in the country. Cris Kacita, leader of the national mpox response team, confirmed in an interview that the majority of new cases are in camps for displaced persons.

Kacita revealed that the cases involve a new virus strain spreading in South Kivu province. Goma, the largest city in neighboring North Kivu province, faces a dire situation. The World Health Organization and scientists raised alarms last month about the new strain in South Kivu.

Mpox, endemic to Congo for years, saw a new variant—clade I—emerge last year. The viral infection spreads through close contact, with symptoms ranging from mild flu-like effects to severe, potentially fatal cases. A less severe form, clade IIb, spread globally in 2022, prompting a public health emergency declaration by the WHO, which has since been lifted.

Kacita stated that the national biomedical research institute in Goma has sequenced the virus, confirming its long-standing presence in the city. He warned that the cramped conditions in the camps and rapid spread of the epidemic pose significant risks.

Hundreds of thousands have fled to overcrowded camps in and around Goma due to ongoing conflict in Congo's insurgent-hit east. The displaced population has surged since the M23 rebel group launched a major offensive in 2022, despite national and regional military efforts to halt their advance.