Increasing number of nations have started screening incoming passengers for the disease.
The East African nation of Burundi has seen a surge in monkeypox (mpox) infections, with children and adolescents accounting for a major share of those affected, according to UNICEF.
“The new variant of the mpox virus (clade 1b) has been identified in all affected countries except South Africa, which is causing concern due to its potential for wider transmission across age groups, particularly young children,” the agency stated.
“Burundi is reporting the highest number of infections across the region. As of 20 August 2024, 170 confirmed Mpox cases have been detected across 26 out of the 49 districts in the country, of whom 45.3 percent are female.”
Children and adolescents below the age of 20 make up almost 60 percent of the cases in Burundi, with those younger than the age of five making up 21 percent of infections.
UNICEF stated that the risks posed by clade 1b mpox are heightened for children in Burundi as there is a simultaneous outbreak of measles in the region.
