South Sudan declares mpox outbreak

Juba, 7 February 2025—On the present time the Ministry of Successfully being has declared a mpox outbreak in Juba, Central Equatoria Bid. This declaration follows a confirmation mpox Case by the Nationwide Public Successfully being Laboratory on 6 February 2025.

“The first 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 under isolation and is being managed at Gudele Successfully being facility”, mentioned the Acting Successfully being Minister, Honorable James Hoth Mai, in a press convention in Juba. 
A team of experts from national and subnational ranges, WHO, and other partners beget been mobilized to habits an in depth field investigation, list all contacts, and compose certain end practice-up, Hon. Mai added.

He also added that the Ministry of Successfully being and WHO beget taken steps to administer the reported case wisely, ensuring that every contact on the bottom is adopted. He assured the citizens now not to apprehension nonetheless to quit light and practice safety measures that the authorities is committed to stopping the spread of mpox in South Sudan.

Addressing the clicking convention, Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Country Manual in South Sudan, commended the Ministry of Successfully being for declaring the outbreak. The announcement permits the final public to take prevention measures, helps wisely being partners take the needed steps to personal the outbreak, and unlocks the needed sources for fighting the outbreak. The confirmation of mpox in South Sudan showcases the national capabilities that WHO is proud to beget seriously supported, mentioned Dr Karamagi.

With this outbreak, South Sudan turns into the 22nd country to be affected in the African space. After this confirmation, my team will toughen the referral of the definite sample to WHO-participating laboratories for sequencing and genetic characterization of the Mpox virus detected in the country.

Dr Karamagi additional reiterated WHO’s dedication to assisting the South Sudanese authorities and partners in enhancing disease surveillance, enhancing response coordination, and ensuring the provision of provides. This involves supporting case administration, laboratory sorting out, sample sequence, transportation, and practice-up.
“Thanks to funding from our donors, WHO deployed experts and provided technical and logistical toughen,” mentioned Dr Karamagi.

With the toughen of WHO, the Ministry has activated the Public Successfully being Emergency Operations Heart and willing to coordinate responses to Mpox outbreaks, following the WHO guidelines. An Incident Manager and key wisely being officers beget been assigned to video show five foremost entry points into South Sudan for suspected Mpox situations from high-threat neighboring international locations bask in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, and Kenya. All healthcare services, including these in non-public observe, are receiving coaching on recognizing and responding to Mpox signs. We’re organising a laboratory community and beget examined samples from 141 suspected situations. Fresh sorting out suggestions beget been conducted, guaranteeing ravishing outcomes by process of external quality assessments. Most up-to-date assessments showed a 100% success price, and our laboratory excelled in skills assessments. Moreover, 40 clinicians beget bought coaching in Mpox case administration to compose certain efficient medicines and bolster our readiness for any probably Mpox outbreaks in South Sudan.

The Hon. Minister also entreated the communities to study valid and salvage behaviors, resembling warding off end contact with an infected person, the employ of personal protective tools when caring for patients, now not sharing bedding, clothing, towels, or utensils with sick folks, practising hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, isolate infected patients, support faraway from contact with wild animals and cook all meals containing new animal meat earlier than ingesting.