New Delhi: Children are among those at great risk of contracting Mpox in Congo, a UNICEF press release stated. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is currently facing an Mpox outbreak that has so far infected more than 8,772 children, including 548 who have died. More than half of the patients of Mpox in DRC are children.
Children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are already suffering from other diseases such as cholera, polio, malnutrition, conflict, and displacement. The surge of Mpox is compounding the suffering of children and families in the country.
The WHO has declared the Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), with children under 5 years of age facing the highest risk of death. UNICEF is working with the Africa CDC and WHO to support national governments in responding to the outbreak, with a focus on protecting the most vulnerable children in the provinces of South Kivu, South Ubangi and Sankuru.