Goma, a city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, long embroiled in the nation’s ongoing conflict, is now the epicenter of a new and concerning outbreak of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. The Nyiragongo General Hospital, located on the outskirts of Goma, has reported a sharp increase in the number of patients diagnosed with the disease, which appears to be more deadly than previous variants.
The latest strain of mpox spreading through the region has worrying characteristics, with reports indicating it may be more infectious and potentially fatal. In a mining town located about 270 kilometers south of Goma, scientists have identified a variant that could have a mortality rate as high as 10%.
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Nyota Mukobelwa, a patient at the hospital, described her symptoms after contracting mpox. “At first I felt a headache, fever, muscle pain, and pain in my groin. After spots started to appear on me, I thought it must be an infection,” she said, speaking from her bed in a tent that forms part of the mpox treatment area, which is isolated from the rest of the hospital.
Dr. Pierre Olivier Ngadjole, a health advisor for MEDAIR DRC, the organization running the mpox treatment site, noted that 75% of the patients at the clinic are children under ten years old. He also pointed out that 70% of the cases treated at the facility come from internally displaced person (IDP) camps around Goma, underscoring the vulnerability of these populations. Nurse Trésor Basubi expressed concern as the number of people being admitted to the hospital continues to rise.
The conflict-ridden regions surrounding Goma have driven countless internally displaced people to seek refuge in the city and its surrounding camps, further exacerbating the spread of the disease. The city’s healthcare system is struggling to cope with the influx of patients as the outbreak spreads.
The current outbreak in Goma is part of a larger resurgence of mpox across Africa. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an international health emergency after mpox outbreaks occurred in over 70 countries, many of which had never reported cases before. While the outbreaks were largely controlled in wealthier nations through the use of vaccines and treatments, access to these resources in Africa has been limited.
This year, at least 13 African countries have reported new mpox outbreaks, including four—Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda—that had not previously seen cases. These outbreaks have all been linked to the resurgence of the virus in Congo.
Furaha Elisabeth, a mother seeking treatment for her child at the clinic, voiced her fears: “We have been shown images on the phone and on TV of people who are suffering from the same illness. I am scared, and I am so worried.”
As Goma faces this dual crisis of conflict and disease, the situation remains dire, with health officials and international organizations working to contain the outbreak amidst challenging conditions.
