Tanzania has confirmed its first two cases of mpox, marking the country’s initial encounter with the virus amid a wider outbreak affecting several African nations.
According to a statement released on Monday by Health Minister Jenista Mhagama, the cases were detected after two individuals displaying symptoms were isolated and tested on Sunday.
One of the infected individuals is reported to be a truck driver who had recently travelled from a neighbouring country to Dar es Salaam.
The announcement comes in the wake of a report by the African Union’s health agency, which revealed that since January, over 6,000 mpox cases have been confirmed across 22 countries on the continent, resulting in 25 deaths.
Mpox is a viral disease related to smallpox and is primarily spread through close physical contact.
Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, and large, boil-like skin lesions. While some cases are mild, the virus can be fatal. It exists in two known subtypes, referred to as clade 1 and clade 2.
Due to its rapid spread, the World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern in August 2024, the highest level of global health alert.
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