Uganda has confirmed its first two cases of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox), as reported by the Ministry of Health on Saturday.
The cases were identified in the western border district of Kasese, specifically in the towns of Mpondwe and Bwera.
Henry Mwenda, the director general of health services, stated that the infections originated from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and did not occur within Uganda.
In response to the confirmed cases, nine individuals who had contact with the patients are currently under medical surveillance after there are reports from neighboring countries, with Kenya and Burundi having previously reported one and three cases of mpox, respectively, last month.
The DRC has been facing a significant outbreak, with over 11,000 suspected cases and approximately 450 deaths reported as of July 20.
The African Union (AU) announced on Friday that it has allocated $10.4 million from COVID-19 funds to support the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in addressing the mpox outbreak across the continent.
This funding aims to enhance monitoring, laboratory testing, data collection, case management, and vaccine access, thereby bolstering the efforts of governments and partners in combating the spread of the virus.
The Ministry of Health has deployed a rapid response team to Kasese District to assist local authorities in managing the situation effectively.
