Juba, 7 February 2025—This day the Ministry of Successfully being has declared a mpox outbreak in Juba, Central Equatoria Grunt. This declaration follows a affirmation mpox Case by the Nationwide Public Successfully being Laboratory on 6 February 2025.
“The main case used to be reported on 6 February 2025 at Gudele Successfully being facility from a Ugandan national and a resident of Kupuri Camp in Juba. The confirmed case is below isolation and is being managed at Gudele Successfully being facility”, acknowledged the Acting Successfully being Minister, Honorable James Hoth Mai, in a press conference in Juba.
A team of experts from national and subnational stages, WHO, and other companions relish been mobilized to habits a detailed field investigation, checklist all contacts, and procure sure shut practice-up, Hon. Mai added.
He additionally added that the Ministry of Successfully being and WHO relish taken steps to manage the reported case successfully, making sure that every contact on the ground is adopted. He assured the citizens now not to scare but to assign level-headed and practice safety measures that the government is dedicated to stopping the unfold of mpox in South Sudan.
Addressing the clicking conference, Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Country Consultant in South Sudan, counseled the Ministry of Successfully being for declaring the outbreak. The announcement enables the public to attract shut prevention measures, helps successfully being companions draw shut the specified steps to relish the outbreak, and unlocks the specified resources for combating the outbreak. The affirmation of mpox in South Sudan showcases the national capabilities that WHO is proud to relish significantly supported, acknowledged Dr Karamagi.
With this outbreak, South Sudan turns into the 22nd nation to be affected in the African purpose. After this affirmation, my team will fortify the referral of the sure sample to WHO-participating laboratories for sequencing and genetic characterization of the Mpox virus detected in the nation.
Dr Karamagi additional reiterated WHO’s commitment to aiding the South Sudanese government and companions in bettering disease surveillance, bettering response coordination, and making sure the provision of supplies. This involves supporting case administration, laboratory sorting out, sample sequence, transportation, and practice-up.
“Thanks to funding from our donors, WHO deployed experts and equipped technical and logistical fortify,” acknowledged Dr Karamagi.
With the fortify of WHO, the Ministry has activated the Public Successfully being Emergency Operations Center and ready to coordinate responses to Mpox outbreaks, following the WHO guidelines. An Incident Manager and key successfully being officers relish been assigned to visual show unit five foremost entry facets into South Sudan for suspected Mpox conditions from excessive-risk neighboring nations esteem the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, and Kenya. All healthcare suppliers, including these in non-public observe, are receiving practising on recognizing and responding to Mpox symptoms. We are constructing a laboratory network and relish tested samples from 141 suspected conditions. Unusual sorting out programs relish been utilized, guaranteeing appropriate results through exterior quality assessments. Recent assessments showed a 100% success price, and our laboratory excelled in proficiency assessments. Furthermore, 40 clinicians relish bought practising in Mpox case administration to procure sure efficient medication and bolster our readiness for any doubtless Mpox outbreaks in South Sudan.
The Hon. Minister additionally told the communities to observe appropriate and true behaviors, comparable to avoiding shut contact with an contaminated person, the usage of deepest protective instruments when caring for patients, now not sharing bedding, clothing, towels, or utensils with unwell other folks, practising hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, isolate contaminated patients, steer clear of contact with wild animals and cook dinner all meals containing recent animal meat sooner than drinking.
He told successfully being workers to dwell vigilant with excessive index suspicious for mpox, adhere to infection prevention and regulate measures, practice long-established working procedures, and file suspected conditions for additional investigation.
The press conference used to be attended by the media, excessive-stage government officers, and companions, among others.
Technical Contacts
Dr Aggrey Bategereza, Email: bategerezaa [at] who.int (bategerezaa[at]who[dot]int)
Dr William Mbabazi, Email: mbabaziw [at] who.int (mbabaziw[at]who[dot]int)
