Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated Mpox a public health emergency of international concern for the second time in two years. The decision stemmed from the rapid spread of a new, extremely dangerous form of the virus across Africa. Outbreaks have been reported in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda since July. A case of the new strain has also been detected in Sweden. Over 570 people have died from the disease so far. Amid this, an African man, who contracted the new strain ‘Clade 1b’ of Mpox recently shared the torturing symptoms of the disease.
Egide Irambona, 40, from Burundi's main city, Bujumbura, told the BBC that the disease causes horrible pain. “I had swollen lymph nodes in my throat. It was so painful I couldn’t sleep. Then the pain subsided there and it moved to my legs,” he said. Compared to other Mpox variations, Clade 1b is more contagious but appears to be less deadly. It is primarily transmitted through heterosexual transmission.
He is in treatment at the King Khaled University Hospital for nine days now, sharing a room with two other patients. He thinks a friend may have given him the contagious virus. "I had a friend who had blisters. I think I got it from him. I did not know it was Mpox. Thankfully our seven children have not shown any signs of having it," he continued.
Mr Irambona's wife has also contracted the disease and is being looked after at the same facility. Of the 61 available beds, 59 are filled by infected patients, of these, a third are under the age of 15. According to the World Health Organization, children are the most affected here.
The doctor at the hospital, Odette Nsavyimana, said that the number of patients is increasing daily. "We are now setting up tents outside." There are three tents currently, one for suspected cases, a second for triage and another for confirmed cases before they can be sent to wards.
"It is tough, especially when the babies come. They cannot stay alone, so I have to keep their mothers here as well. Even if they have no symptoms… It is such a tough situation. I am worried about the numbers. If they keep increasing, there is no capacity for us to handle that," Dr Nsavyimana told the outlet.
Medical authorities are concerned about scarce resources. There isn't a vaccine, nor enough testing kits, and only one lab in the nation that can test blood samples for the virus. It is also difficult to maintain hygienic conditions throughout Bujumbura due to the city's restricted access to necessities like water.
The national director of the Centre for Public Health Emergency Operations expressed her serious concerns about the near future. "This is a real challenge. The fact that diagnosis is only done in one place delays detecting new cases. Health centres are calling the laboratory saying they have suspected cases, but it takes time for teams from the lab to deploy to where the suspected cases are to take samples," Liliane Nkengurutse said.
Further, many people living there are not aware of the seriousness of the Mpox. People are carrying on life as usual. “Many people do not understand the gravity of this issue. Even where there have been cases, people still just mingle,” Dr Nkengurutse told the BBC.
Several residents said that they did not know that Mpox was spreading in the country. "I have heard about this disease, but I have never seen someone who suffers from it. I have only seen it on social media," one person said.
Another added, "I know it affects babies and young people. I am scared of it, but that does not mean I will just stay at home. I have to work. My family has to eat."
