Sierra Leone reports first case of mpox

Sierra Leone has reported its first confirmed case of mpox for the reason that world’s highest alert degree for the doubtless lethal viral illness was raised final 12 months.

“The affected person is a 27-year-old man from the agricultural district of the Western Zone,” close to the capital Freetown, the Nationwide Public Well being Company acknowledged in a social media publish.

“Well being groups are actively tracing and investigating to establish potential uncovered individuals and to forestall additional unfold,” it stated.

The company added checks had confirmed the case on January 10 however didn’t specify the variant affecting the affected person.

Mpox is attributable to a virus from the identical household because the smallpox, manifesting itself by a excessive fever and pores and skin lesions, known as vesicles.

First recognized within the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970, the illness had usually been confined to a dozen African international locations however started to unfold extra extensively in 2022, reaching developed international locations the place the virus had by no means beforehand circulated.

The World Well being Group declared its highest alert degree in 2024.

Sierra Leonean well being authorities say they swiftly activated their response, inserting the affected person in remoted care.

His contacts might be monitored for 21 days with surveillance stepped up in areas he visited.

A public consciousness marketing campaign has been launched and well being employees are being issued with protecting tools and educated in prevention methods.

Sierra Leone was one of many international locations hardest hit by Ebola, which ravaged west Africa a decade in the past in an epidemic killing some 4,000 individuals, together with practically seven p.c of well being employees, between 2014 and 2016.

© 2025 AFP