Senegal has confirmed its second case of Mpox, just weeks after celebrating the recovery of its first patient and declaring the country free of active infections.The new case involves a Senegalese resident who developed symptoms on September 11 and was admitted to Dakar’s Fann Hospital on September 21. Laboratory tests confirmed the infection the next day. Health officials said 20 close contacts have been identified and are under monitoring, though no link has been found to the earlier case, which involved a foreign national diagnosed in August.
Authorities reassured the public that containment measures are in place, urging residents to remain vigilant and seek medical care if symptoms arise. The resurgence comes as Africa as a whole is witnessing a sharp decline in Mpox. According to the Africa CDC, 29 countries have reported more than 191,000 infections and nearly 2,000 deaths since January 2024, but weekly cases have dropped by 70% since May. Senegal’s first confirmed case on August 22 followed a detection in neighboring Gambia. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo is battling a separate Ebola outbreak in Kasai province, where 48 infections—including 38 confirmed—have led to 31 deaths, raising fresh concerns for regional health systems already under strain.
