WHO Says Mpox Cases in Congo's Epicenter May Be 'Plateauing'

World Health Organization said mpox cases in region of Congo where a new and more infectious variant was first detected appear to be “plateauing,” even as virus continues to increase in or regions of country, as well as in Burundi and Uganda.

In a report Monday, U.N. health ncy said number of mpox infections “shows a general rising trend” but that y may have plateaued in South Kivu, where more infectious form of mpox was first identified to be spreing earlier this year among sex workers and miners in gold mining town of Kamituga .

WHO ackwledged, however, that testing is still t widespre, making it difficult to understand how exactly virus is spreing.

According to data from last week, Congo reported fewer than 100 laboratory-confirmed mpox cases, down from nearly 400 in July. In recent weeks, experts say that infections appear to be stabalizing, offering a chance for health authorities to definitively stamp out outbreak .

So far, about 50,000 people in Congo have been immunized against mpox; Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 3 million vaccines are needed to stop outbreak.

WHO said mpox outbreak in Burundi is also being driven by newer variant, which causes less severe symptoms — meaning people who are infectious may t realize y are spreing it. In last two weeks, Burundi has reported more than 200 new mpox cases every week, mostly in children and young ults.

In Uganda, which reported 100 new cases last week, WHO said virus is spreing mostly through sex, with vast majority of cases in ults.

Mpox , which was previously kwn as monkeypox because it was first seen in research monkeys, is spre primarily through close skin-to-skin contact with infected people or ir soiled clos or bedsheets. It often causes visible skin lesions that could make people less likely to be in close contact with ors.

In August, WHO declared rapid spre of mpox in Congo and elsewhere in Africa to be a global health emergency . To date, Africa has reported more than 46,000 suspected cases, including 1,081 deaths.

WHO also said it would convene an expert meeting next Monday to determine if mpox still constitutes an international emergency.

Last week, Britain anunced first instance of more infectious kind of mpox spreing beyond Africa. It identified mpox in a person who h recently traveled to Africa and in three of ir household contacts. All individuals are currently being treated in two London hospitals.