The Angolan government says 442 cases of mpox have been recorded across 11 provinces since November 2024, with two deaths reported, one in Cabinda and another in Moxico.
Secretary of State for Public Health Carlos Pinto de Souza said 116 active cases remain under hospital supervision while 186 contacts are being monitored. More than 1,100 contacts have been tested since the outbreak began last year.
He revealed that Cabinda province accounted for the majority of infections, with 314 cases followed by Moxico Leste with 91 cases.
This has prompted authorities to consider closing guesthouses and boarding houses in Cabinda, which have been identified as hotspots.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease transmitted mainly through close contact with infected individuals, including direct exposure to skin lesions, bodily fluids, or contaminated materials.
The risk of transmission increases with prolonged or intimate contact, including sexual contact.
Symptoms typically include fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes, and while most cases are mild, severe illness and death can occur.
As part of its response, Angola has mobilised 50,000 doses of vaccine, prioritising health workers and contacts of confirmed cases due to limited global supply.
JN/APA