CDC Alert: Mpox Outbreak in DRC Spread to Neighboring Countries

The CDC issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Update to alert clinicians about a possible spread of clade I Mpox virus (MPXV) that was first reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in December 2023. In April 2024 a clade I MPXV outbreak was declared in the Republic of Congo and there were also confirmed cases in the Central African Republic, both of which border DRC. Clade I MPXV is endemic in all three countries, but the recent outbreaks appear to be related to the DRC outbreak. In late July 2024 confirmed cases of mpox have been reported in Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda. Mpox is not known to be endemic in these countries, which share a border with DRC. Risk of clade I MXPV importation to the U.S. is considered very low due the limited number of travelers and lack of direct commercial flights to the U.S. from this region. However, clinicians are being advised to consider mpox as a possible diagnosis for patients with clinical signs and symptoms consistent with mpox, especially those who have recently been in DRC or countries sharing a border with DRC (including Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Zambia, Angola, Tanzania, and South Sudan). Read the CDC HAN Health Update.