GABON: Gabon has confirmed its first case of mpox in a 30-year-old man who recently returned from Uganda, according to the country’s health ministry. The man had been in Uganda for two weeks, a region currently experiencing a surge in mpox cases.
The health ministry stated that the patient is in stable condition and has been placed in isolation. Gabon is now on “maximum alert” for the virus and is strengthening its measures to prevent further spread. This includes implementing a nationwide surveillance and testing system.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals and can also spread between people through close physical contact. Although the virus has been known for decades, a more dangerous and transmissible strain, Clade 1b, has led to a recent increase in cases.
This strain has a fatality rate of about 3.6%, with higher risks for children, according to the World Health Organization, which has declared an international health emergency in response to the outbreak.
