٠٠:٠٤:٢٨Doctors at a hospital in Goma described the influx of mpox patients on Wednesday, as a surge of cases across the DRC and other African countries prompted the WHO to declare a 'public health emergency'.
"Most at risk are children under five, pregnant women and patients with [high blood] pressure. But also what we're looking at is a lot more complications linked to this disease," Faustin Karuhidje, doctor at Kyeshero Hospital said.
Footage shows medical staff at Kyeshero Hospital examining people in a quarantine station for suspected cases, as well as information signs informing on the symptoms of the disease.
"It was Saturday, and I saw that the child's skin had a few pimples. I thought it would go away, but unfortunately it didn't because we sleep in poor conditions. On Monday I noticed that the child's whole body was full of pimples. I took him to UNICEF hospital, and after consultation, they said it was a serious illness, which is why I'm here," said Angel Kasongo.
"We have received 12 suspected cases since the start of the epidemic, seven of which have come back positive and are being taken care of after treatment and have been cured," doctor Bishenge Fabrice said, adding that the hospital's means for treatment were 'limited'.
"From an input point of view, medicine and everything else we need, even the transport of samples, the taking of samples, pose a problem," Fabrice stated.
On Wednesday, World Health Organisation chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claimed that mpox is a 'public health emergency of international concern' due to its rapid spread in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other parts of Africa. Previously, the category was used for Ebola outbreaks, Covid-19 and a 2022 mpox surge in Europe.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the disease has been detected in 13 countries, with 96 percent of cases and deaths registered in DRC. This year the organisation has documented over 14,000 cases and 524 fatalities in the DRC alone while 38,465 cases were registered across Africa since January 2022.
Mpox is a viral infection that is transmissible both among humans and from animals to humans. The virus can spread through close physical interactions and contaminated items such as bedding, clothing, or needles, according to the WHO.
Mpox Clade 1 type, currently in Africa, can kill up to 10 percent of those infected, according to reports. It causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. Vaccines exist but are usually only available to those at risk or in close contact with cases.
'Children, pregnant women most at risk' - Goma hospital struggles with surge in mpox amid 'public health emergency'
Doctors at a hospital in Goma described the influx of mpox patients on Wednesday, as a surge of cases across the DRC and other African countries prompted the WHO to declare a 'public health emergency'.
"Most at risk are children under five, pregnant women and patients with [high blood] pressure. But also what we're looking at is a lot more complications linked to this disease," Faustin Karuhidje, doctor at Kyeshero Hospital said.
Footage shows medical staff at Kyeshero Hospital examining people in a quarantine station for suspected cases, as well as information signs informing on the symptoms of the disease.
"It was Saturday, and I saw that the child's skin had a few pimples. I thought it would go away, but unfortunately it didn't because we sleep in poor conditions. On Monday I noticed that the child's whole body was full of pimples. I took him to UNICEF hospital, and after consultation, they said it was a serious illness, which is why I'm here," said Angel Kasongo.
"We have received 12 suspected cases since the start of the epidemic, seven of which have come back positive and are being taken care of after treatment and have been cured," doctor Bishenge Fabrice said, adding that the hospital's means for treatment were 'limited'.
"From an input point of view, medicine and everything else we need, even the transport of samples, the taking of samples, pose a problem," Fabrice stated.
On Wednesday, World Health Organisation chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claimed that mpox is a 'public health emergency of international concern' due to its rapid spread in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other parts of Africa. Previously, the category was used for Ebola outbreaks, Covid-19 and a 2022 mpox surge in Europe.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the disease has been detected in 13 countries, with 96 percent of cases and deaths registered in DRC. This year the organisation has documented over 14,000 cases and 524 fatalities in the DRC alone while 38,465 cases were registered across Africa since January 2022.
Mpox is a viral infection that is transmissible both among humans and from animals to humans. The virus can spread through close physical interactions and contaminated items such as bedding, clothing, or needles, according to the WHO.
Mpox Clade 1 type, currently in Africa, can kill up to 10 percent of those infected, according to reports. It causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. Vaccines exist but are usually only available to those at risk or in close contact with cases.
Doctors at a hospital in Goma described the influx of mpox patients on Wednesday, as a surge of cases across the DRC and other African countries prompted the WHO to declare a 'public health emergency'.
"Most at risk are children under five, pregnant women and patients with [high blood] pressure. But also what we're looking at is a lot more complications linked to this disease," Faustin Karuhidje, doctor at Kyeshero Hospital said.
Footage shows medical staff at Kyeshero Hospital examining people in a quarantine station for suspected cases, as well as information signs informing on the symptoms of the disease.
"It was Saturday, and I saw that the child's skin had a few pimples. I thought it would go away, but unfortunately it didn't because we sleep in poor conditions. On Monday I noticed that the child's whole body was full of pimples. I took him to UNICEF hospital, and after consultation, they said it was a serious illness, which is why I'm here," said Angel Kasongo.
"We have received 12 suspected cases since the start of the epidemic, seven of which have come back positive and are being taken care of after treatment and have been cured," doctor Bishenge Fabrice said, adding that the hospital's means for treatment were 'limited'.
"From an input point of view, medicine and everything else we need, even the transport of samples, the taking of samples, pose a problem," Fabrice stated.
On Wednesday, World Health Organisation chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claimed that mpox is a 'public health emergency of international concern' due to its rapid spread in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other parts of Africa. Previously, the category was used for Ebola outbreaks, Covid-19 and a 2022 mpox surge in Europe.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the disease has been detected in 13 countries, with 96 percent of cases and deaths registered in DRC. This year the organisation has documented over 14,000 cases and 524 fatalities in the DRC alone while 38,465 cases were registered across Africa since January 2022.
Mpox is a viral infection that is transmissible both among humans and from animals to humans. The virus can spread through close physical interactions and contaminated items such as bedding, clothing, or needles, according to the WHO.
Mpox Clade 1 type, currently in Africa, can kill up to 10 percent of those infected, according to reports. It causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. Vaccines exist but are usually only available to those at risk or in close contact with cases.