There has been a massive spike in cases of the deadly Monkeypox virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo at an 'exponential' rate, health officials have warned. The clade I strain detected in the country is causing more severe illness and deaths than the previous clade II virus which caused a global outbreak in 2022. According to news reports, since January 2024, more than 11,166 suspected cases, including about 450 deaths have been reported. Most of the infected children include newborn babies, who got the virus during pregnancy.

Recently, the World Health Organisation warned of the threat of a new strain of mpox, which is being touted as "the most dangerous yet". “The latest outbreak shows no sign of slowing down", WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference earlier this week.

According to health officials, the virus usually spreads through sexual transmission, but this strain can be passed on through close skin-to-skin contact, making it more dangerous. Clade I is also said to be more deadly than Clade II, with a fatality rate of around five per cent in adults and 10 per cent in children, compared to three per cent for its predecessor.

Doctors say the worldwide mpox epidemic years ago was brought under control by vaccinating vulnerable groups – including homosexuals. However, there has been poor access to vaccines and medicines in DR Congo – one of the poorest countries in Africa.

Local officials say the virus could reach other countries, particularly Europe. "The disease can go through airports," Leandre Murhula Masirika, at the health department in South Kivu province - one of the worst affected areas in DR Congo, told The Sun.

According to WHO, Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus which causes:

• Painful whole-body rashes
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Lesions in the genital area
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Muscle aches
• Backaches
• Exhaustion
• High fever and chills

Doctors say while most people fully recover, some get extremely sick as the virus transmits from person to person through close, including sexual, contact. It also has animal reservoirs in east, central, and west Africa, where spillovers from animals to humans can occasionally occur, sparking further outbreaks.

The eastern region of DRC shares borders with Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and Tanzania – and is said to be a highly transient place - with people moving in and out regularly. Doctors say this can increase the risk of transmission to other countries. To the south, DRC borders Zambia and Angola, while its western and northern regions share borders with the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan.

Like the DRC, many other African countries also have limited testing capacity, treatment, and surveillance capabilities, making this an issue of regional and global concern.

Since the beginning of this year in Cameroon, 23 cases of the Clade II virus were reported. South Africa has also recorded five Clade II cases in an outbreak between January and May, although WHO says there may be more non-documented cases.