Mpox Threat Intensifies for Children in Africa
UNICEF acts to protect vulnerable children and communities as the deadly, contagious viral disease continues to spread.
More cases reported in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa
The ongoing surge of a new and deadly variant of the mpox virus is placing thousands of children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and several other countries in Africa at serious risk, UNICEF has warned.
With more than 200 new cases of mpox now confirmed across Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and South Africa — on top of several thousand already reported in the DRC — the need to protect vulnerable communities, especially children and pregnant women, has become even more urgent.
Risks are particularly high in underserved communities already facing multiple deprivations, and areas contending with other emergencies such as droughts and floods. Burundi is also dealing with a measles outbreak fueled by low routine childhood immunization levels and high malnutrition rates.
The new variant, called clade Ib, has been identified in all affected countries except South Africa; the cause of concern is the strain's potential for wider transmission across age groups, particularly among young children.
UNICEF has issued an emergency appeal for funding to scale up preventative measures throughout the affected region and to mitigate catastrophic impact elsewhere.
15,500 mpox cases so far in 2024 — and 550 deaths
On Aug. 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the upsurge of mpox in the DRC and neighboring countries constituted a public health emergency of international concern. In all of 2024 so far, there have been an estimated 15,500 cases and 550 deaths (suspected and confirmed).
A previous outbreak in 2022-2023 affected mostly adults. For the full picture, see WHO's global outbreak overview.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a zoonotic illness caused by a viral infection that can spread from animals to people, between people and from the environment to people, through direct contact with bodily fluids, respiratory droplets or contaminated surfaces or objects such as clothing and bedding.
Symptoms include skin rash, fever, sore throat, headache, body aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes. Supportive treatment includes skin care, hydration and nutrition support, pain and fever management, and management of secondary bacterial infections, should they occur.
Although the overall case-fatality rate linked to mpox in DRC has remained under 5 percent since 2023, children under 15 are disproportionately affected by the outbreak, accounting for 77 percent of the deaths.
Because children may be at greater risk of severe mpox than adults, they should be closely monitored until they have recovered in case they need additional care, UNICEF advises.
Children can be exposed to the virus at home or in the community through close contact with people who are symptomatic with mpox, including parents, caregivers or other family members.
How UNICEF is responding to mpox outbreaks
Global mpox response efforts are focused on understanding the disease's epidemiology, improving diagnostic capacities and ensuring timely and effective responses to both prevent and contain mpox outbreaks.
UNICEF, for its part, is focusing on interrupting disease transmission, monitoring and addressing secondary impacts on children and adolescents, including stigma, discrimination and disruptions to schooling and learning.
For women and girls, the threat of gender-based violence, including sexual abuse and exploitation, remains high as their burden of care includes caring for sick family members and supporting the basic needs for their families’ survival.
Specific efforts by UNICEF include:
- engaging with communities, developing communication plans, training community health workers and implementing mass communication campaigns urging people to prioritize personal hygiene as an effective infection prevention and control measure
- enhancing infection prevention and control in households, communities and health care facilities by providing hygiene supplies and training health care workers
- providing medical kits and ensuring nutritional support for affected children
- exploring the use of new vaccines to build immunity
- addressing stigma and discrimination through plans for targeted mental health and psychosocial support interventions for children and caregivers
- ensuring continued access to essential social services, particularly for children, pregnant women and underserved communities
UNICEF is also working with the Africa Centers for Disease Control, the WHO and other partners to support national and provincial health authorities with coordination, planning and implementing their response strategies.
In Burundi, for example, UNICEF is partnering with the government to implement an mpox national response plan and is co-lead for risk communication and community engagement activities. UNICEF is also supporting awareness-raising activities on mpox prevention measures in the most affected districts of the country and has deployed medical kits for case management in three health districts, supporting the treatment of 3,000 cases.
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