Uganda has confirmed two additional cases of the mpox virus, raising the total number of infections in the country to four, according to the health ministry. The newly identified patients were infected with the clade 1b strain, a variant that has sparked global concern, Health Ministry Director General of Health Services Henry Mwebesa told Reuters.
The World Health Organization declared the recent outbreak of this strain a public health emergency, as it appears to spread more easily among people. Uganda's health authorities first reported the outbreak on July 24 after lab tests confirmed the virus in two patients at a hospital near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The latest cases were confirmed this week, according to health ministry spokesperson Emmanuel Ainebyoona. One of the patients is a truck driver, though details about the second patient were not disclosed. Both individuals are currently isolated at a hospital in Entebbe, approximately 50 km (31 miles) south of the capital, Kampala.
Mpox, which causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, is transmitted through close physical contact. While generally mild, the disease can be fatal. Uganda shares a border with Congo, where the current outbreak began in January 2023.
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