Zambia confirms 75 mpox cases since last year's outbreak

Zambia has recorded a total of 75 confirmed mpox cases since the outbreak began in October last year, health authorities announced on Thursday.

The Ministry of Health said in a statement that a total of 457 suspected cases have been investigated across six of the country's 10 provinces, with an overall positivity rate of 16 percent.

Of the confirmed cases, 32 patients have recovered and been discharged, while 41 remain under home-based monitoring. Only two deaths have been reported since the outbreak began.

The ministry said that the disease is affecting individuals across all age groups, with 15 percent of confirmed cases occurring in children aged under five.

"The broad age distribution highlights the need for inclusive public health messaging and targeted interventions across all age groups," the ministry said.

xinhua