Save the Children reported that a new and aggressive strain of the potentially deadly mpox virus is rapidly spreading among children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi.
Since a public health emergency was declared in mid-August, cases have more than doubled. The fast-moving clade 1b strain is affecting children in the DRC and Burundi the most, where they face serious health risks due to hunger, displacement, and limited healthcare. These two countries make up 92% of all mpox cases in Africa this year.
As of November 3, cases among children in the DRC have increased by over 130%, from about 11,300 suspected cases to 25,600. In Burundi, mpox cases have risen from 89 confirmed child cases to around 1,100 since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on August 14.
The overall risk to the population in the DRC and Burundi remains critically high, especially for children who are nearly four times more likely to die from the new strain of mpox than adults. Malnourished children in areas with poor sanitation and limited healthcare, lacking access to testing and vaccines, are at an even greater risk of contracting and succumbing to the virus.
Mpox causes fever, rash, lesions all over the body, severe headaches, and fatigue. Some children develop respiratory problems, and in severe cases, mpox can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection.
According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the total number of suspected and confirmed mpox cases across Africa has surpassed 46,000 this year, with over 1,000 fatalities.
Dr. Katia Vieira de Moraes LaCasse, Save the Children’s Senior clinical manager at the Emergency Health Unit, stated that the new mpox variant is still not well understood, but it is spreading quickly among children in the DRC and Burundi, who are already facing severe risks from conflict-driven or climate-driven hunger and collapsing healthcare. As mpox spreads across Europe and other parts of the world, it is crucial not to neglect children at the heart of this outbreak.
Children are especially vulnerable to mpox due to their behavior, weaker immune systems, and need for timely information and care. Preventive measures and support for children and parents are essential to address anxieties and fears about the outbreak and prevent discrimination.
Similar to the targeted vaccinations that helped curb the global mpox epidemic in 2022, urgent actions are needed to stop the spread among high-risk communities, particularly in the DRC. This includes comprehensive testing, awareness campaigns, and vaccine availability.
Save the Children is working with communities in the DRC to provide accurate information, counter misinformation, and offer support. In Burundi, efforts are focused on strengthening the health system, reducing the spread of mpox, and enhancing local healthcare capacity to manage the outbreak effectively. Additional specialists have been deployed to work alongside the Ministry of Health to contain the spread and protect at-risk communities.
