Burundi - Mpox (monkeypox) outbreak 2024-2025

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Monkeypox: Head of government calls for all-out mobilization

03/09/2024 Gateretse

A national mobilization meeting against monkeypox (MPOX) was held this Monday, September 2, 2024 in Bujumbura, under the aegis of the Burundian Prime Minister, Gervais Ndirakobuca, as well as other senior officials from the ministries concerned.

The Minister of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS, Dr Lydwine Baradahana, indicated that since the declaration of the epidemic in Burundi, more than "300 cases of Mpox have been confirmed, 180 people suffering from this disease have already been cured but more than 160 others are still hospitalized."

According to the Minister of Health, Bujumbura is the most affected health district, notably the commune of Ntahangwa which alone has 147 cases, followed by the health district of the province of Kayanza.

This situation is partly linked to the water shortage that is affecting several municipalities in the economic capital. No cases of death linked to the disease have been recorded so far, as Dr. Lydwine Baradahana pointed out.

The mayor of the city of Bujumbura, Jimmy Hatungimana, requested the Prime Minister's intervention with REGIDESO to improve the distribution of drinking water in the city and thus contribute to the fight against the monkeypox epidemic.

The Minister of Public Health deplored the fact that the majority of Burundians behave as if the epidemic does not exist, which contributes to its spread.

During the meeting, participants called on local authorities to reintroduce handwashing facilities in all places where large numbers of people gather. "Those who do not respect this measure must be punished."

Among the recommendations, the population was asked to avoid unprotected sex and not to eat undercooked meat or game. "Restaurants and bars that do not comply with hygiene measures will have to close."

That's not all as recommendations: the participants in this meeting of mobilization against monkeypox asked that there be continuation of awareness so that the population can protect itself. But they insisted on the distribution of drinking water especially in Bujumbura where the epidemic is raging.

Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca said that monkeypox is easier to eradicate than COVID-19 and called for general mobilization against this epidemic.

https://www.iwacu-burundi.org/variole-du-singe-le-chef-du-gouvernement-en-appelle-a-une-mobilisation-tous-azimuts/

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Monkeypox: Health Minister sounds the alarm

September 3, 2024

On Monday morning, during a meeting with health and administrative officials, the Minister of Health, Lidwine Baradahana, revealed worrying figures regarding the outbreak of Monkeypox, also known as monkeypox. Since the outbreak began on July 25 this year, cases of the disease have continued to increase.

Minister Baradahana stressed that the figures reflect a rapid spread of the disease, which continues to intensify day by day. Since the beginning of the outbreak, 1,100 people have launched an emergency appeal due to worrying symptoms.

According to her, among the 950 people diagnosed, 313 have been admitted to hospital for medical follow-up. Currently, 165 patients remain under treatment, while 148 have been able to return home after receiving the necessary care.

Minister Baradahana expressed concern about the rapid spread of monkeypox and called for increased vigilance. “The disease spreads very quickly and takes time to heal, which requires a coordinated and rapid response from all stakeholders ,” she said.

The situation is worrying, and health authorities are stepping up their efforts to contain the epidemic and limit its spread. The public is also urged to follow health recommendations to protect themselves and avoid transmission of the virus.

https://boneshafm.bi/?p=14155

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Mpox: In Burundi, a third of cases are school-age children

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

UNICEF steps up efforts to fight smallpox as children return to school across the country.

Bujumbura, 17 September 2024 – School-age children, aged 5 to 19, now account for 33% of Mpox cases in Burundi, presenting a new challenge as families prepare for the upcoming school year.

“ The growing number of Mpox cases among children in Burundi, including children under five, is of great concern, and protecting them is our top priority , ” said France Bégin, UNICEF Representative in Burundi. “In addition, it is essential to ensure that all children can return to school safely in the midst of this outbreak. Our teams are working closely with the Ministry of Education to put in place health measures in schools, protect students and avoid further disruptions to education.”

Since the first confirmed case on 25 July 2024, Burundi has reported 564 smallpox cases, 62.9% of whom are under 19 years of age, and over 1,576 suspected cases. There have been 1,774 alerts in 34 of the country’s 49 health districts, with the three health districts in Bujumbura being the epicentre of the outbreak.

Children and vulnerable communities have borne the brunt of the spread of Mpox across East and Southern Africa. As more than 3 million Burundian children return to school from 16 September 2024, UNICEF and the Government are stepping up efforts to ensure they can return safely to school amid the Mpox outbreak.

...

https://www.unicef.fr/article/mpox-au-burundi-un-tiers-des-cas-sont-des-enfants-en-age-daller-a-lecole/

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Mpox spreads at alarming rate among children in Burundi

September 20, 2024 2:03 PM
By Lisa Schlein

GENEVA — The United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF, warned Friday that children in Burundi are bearing the brunt of the mpox outbreak, with cases of this deadly, infectious disease spreading at an alarming rate among a young population.

“Of the nearly 600 reported cases, two-thirds are in children under 19. The situation has escalated rapidly, with a more-than-40% increase in cases over the past three weeks,” Dr. Paul Ngwakum, UNICEF’s regional health adviser for Eastern and Southern Africa, told journalists in Geneva via video link Friday. ...

... he (Dr. Paul Ngwakum, UNICEF’s regional health adviser for Eastern and Southern Africa) said the rise of mpox among children under the age of 5 is of particular concern as they represent 30% of the reported cases. This, he said, underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to protect children from becoming infected as schools have reopened this week. ...

https://www.voanews.com/a/mpox-spreads-at-alarming-rate-among-children-in-burundi/7792425.html

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Gatumba: Schools without washing kits to fight against mpox

09/23/2024 Jules Bercy Igiraneza and Alexandrine Ndayishimiye 0

Children aged 5 to 19 now account for 33% of MPOX cases across the country, as indicated in the UNICEF report of 17 September 2024. In the Gatumba area, several schools do not have washing kits and a positive case of MPOX has been confirmed. The population is launching an appeal to the government and Regideso.

“The increasing number of cases of MPOX among children in Burundi, including children under five, is extremely worrying, and protecting them is our top priority ,” said France Bégin, UNICEF Representative in Burundi. We are in the Gatumba area, Mutimbuzi commune, Bujumbura province. It is 10 a.m. at Gatumba I, II, III primary school and Mushasha I and II mobile schools. There is no washing facility in place to combat monkeypox. Students continue to shake hands and play together as usual.

"We don't wash our hands before entering the classroom. We play together during recess. We don't know much about this disease. The barrier measures to combat what you have just informed us about are not being respected ," says a 4th grade student.

A parent met at the Mushasha I mobile school explains his concern about monkeypox. “We are afraid of this disease for our children. We have heard that the number of positive cases has increased and it is children who are the most affected. These schools do not even have washing kits, it is terrible.”

On Kinyinya II hill in this area, at Warubondo basic school, a positive case of monkey pox in a child of the 2nd year was confirmed. Teachers of this school fear that the disease will spread in the establishment.

"We have had a positive case here in Warubondo. We fear that this child has infected his classmates. We ask parents to watch over their children so that at the slightest sign of this disease, they take the child directly to the hospital ," adds the parents' representative.

Lack of financial resources and drinking water

The problem of drinking water is the main concern raised by the population of Gatumba. They say that with this untimely shortage of water, nothing ensures their good health in this period of resurgence of monkeypox.

"We don't have drinking water to fight this disease. Sometimes, my children go to school without washing and sleep without washing because of the lack of water. Only God protects us, otherwise we would all have been affected by mpox ," laments Ange, a resident of the Gatumba area.

When questioned, the zone chief, Jean Muyoboke, said that the issue of the devices in schools had been reported to the municipal education department.

"It is true that we have little drinking water in our area, but these schools also do not have the means to buy washing kits. With the flood that has hit our area, we will ask that the government and non-governmental organizations come to the aid of these schools and our area in general."

It should be recalled that since the confirmation of the first case on July 25, 2024, Burundi has recorded 564 confirmed cases of MPOX, 62.9% of which concern children under 19 years of age. In addition, the country has reported more than 1,576 suspected cases. The epidemic has led to 1,774 alerts in 34 of the country's 49 health districts, with the three districts of Bujumbura being at the heart of the crisis.

"The most affected districts are Bujumbura Nord (43%), Bujumbura Sud (11%), Bujumbura Centre/Isare and Gitega (6% each), and Kayanza (5%). No deaths have been reported so far ," UNICEF said.

In response to this alarming situation, UNICEF has launched an urgent appeal for $58.8 million to support response efforts in six African countries affected by the outbreak, including Burundi. This funding aims to stop transmission of the virus, protect children and ensure the continuity of essential services in affected areas.

https://www.iwacu-burundi.org/gatumba-des-ecoles-sans-kits-de-lavage-pour-lutter-contre-mpox/

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Multi-country external situation report no. 38, published 28 September 2024
...
Focus on Burundi

Since the onset of the outbreak in July 2024, the virus has spread geographically in Burundi where 35 of
the 49 (71%) national districts have been affected (Figure 6, left). The three districts of Bujumbura city are
the most affected, accounting for around 60% of the national cases. In the last four weeks, 32 districts
(65%) have reported at least one confirmed mpox case (Figure 6, right).
...
As of 22 September 2022, 54% of confirmed cases in Burundi are male. The most affected age groups
are adults and children under 5 years of age, with the latter comprising around 30% of confirmed cases
Since the outbreak began, of the 1879 suspected mpox cases, 1743 (93%) were tested; among these,
696 were confirmed by PCR (positivity 40%) (Figure 7) with test positivity rising in recent weeks.

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https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/...september-2024

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Gitega Province
/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gitega_Province
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Gitega: Mpox epidemic in an overcrowded detention center

October 20, 2024

An outbreak of Mpox has hit the Gitega police station, also highlighting the alarming sanitary conditions and critical overcrowding in the detention center. Cases have been confirmed among detainees, raising serious concerns about the rapid spread of the disease in the confined environment.

The police station's dungeon, designed to accommodate 30 people, currently houses more than 100 inmates. This extreme overcrowding forces prisoners to sleep in shifts, with some remaining standing while others rest in a cramped space. The unsanitary conditions of the premises are aggravated by the lack of hygiene and the presence of parasites.

In this context, an outbreak of Mpox has occurred. The majority of prisoners have skin rashes, a characteristic symptom of the disease. Positive cases have been confirmed and are currently being treated in local health facilities.

Despite the urgency of the situation, systematic screening has not been implemented, leaving many potential cases undiagnosed. This neglect could lead to rapid spread within the prison, delayed access to care for infected prisoners, and a risk of dissemination into the community when infected prisoners are released.

Families of the detainees are sounding the alarm, urging authorities to take immediate steps to improve conditions, conduct comprehensive screening, provide adequate medical care and prevent the spread of the disease beyond prison walls.

https://www.rpa.bi/index.php/actualites/8sante/gitega-epidemie-de-mpox-dans-un-centre-de-detention-surpeuple

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Gitega: Regional hospital overwhelmed by monkeypox epidemic

November 3, 2024

Gitega Regional Hospital is facing an alarming situation in its management of the monkeypox outbreak. Hospitalized patients report a critical shortage of medicines, while the number of cases continues to rise, putting a strain on the facility's capacity.

According to internal sources, the situation is getting worse by the day. “Some patients have not received treatment for three days due to the lack of medicines, especially tablets and other essential medical devices,” reveals a patient who wishes to remain anonymous. This shortage seriously compromises the quality of care provided to those affected.

Faced with the increasing influx of patients, the hospital is forced to take drastic measures. Beds are being pushed together to accommodate the new arrivals, and some patients are being sent home before they are fully recovered to free up space. This situation raises concerns about the potential spread of the disease within the community.

Even more worrying, restrictions on visits have been relaxed. “Visitors are no longer banned. The sick are given meals, but outside visitors can now meet them, which could facilitate the spread of the disease,” our source warns.

Monkeypox patients at the Gitega Regional Hospital are urgently appealing to the hospital management and the Ministry of Health. They are calling for immediate action to stop the spread of the epidemic and improve treatment conditions.

https://www.rpa.bi/index.php/actualites/8sante/gitega-l-hopital-regional-submerge-par-l-epidemie-de-variole-du-singe

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WHO Burundi@WhoBurundi
·
Nov 6

Reception on 05/11 at @MairieBuja of a batch of 16 tents and various materials. This equipment, acquired by @WhoBurundi with the financial support of USAID @US_Emb_Burundi , will be used to relieve congestion in the #Mpox PEC centers and to create some in the other affected districts in the country


...
3:41 AM · Nov 6, 2024
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WHO Burundi@WhoBurundi
·
Nov 6

Agents of the @mspls_bdi and of @WhoBurundi received training on 06/11, provided by a logistics expert from @WHO_Africa, on the installation of said tents in accordance with current international standards for the prevention and control of infections.


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3:42 AM · Nov 6, 2024

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Preliminary analysis of 98 genomic sequences of MPXV clade Ib cases from Burundi, July to September 2024

NZOYIKORERA

2 4h Nov 19
...
Introduction

A large mpox clade Ib virus outbreak started in the province of South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and is rapidly geographically expanding to other areas within the DRC as well as to other countries surrounding the DRC. Especially Burundi is severely affected with close to 1531 confirmed cases of mpox Clade Ib virus infections since the first detection at the end of July 2024. In addition, travel related cases linked to east African countries have been identified in Germany, Kenya, India, Sweden and Thailand.

Previously, we have described the MPXV Clade Ib introduction into Burundi and the phylogenetic analysis of the first two whole genome sequences (Nzoyikorera et al., 2024). Here, we describe the sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of an additional 96 near-complete genome sequences generated in the first three months to better understand the ongoing mpox Clade Ib virus outbreak in Burundi.
...
Conclusion

Here we show sustained circulation of the clade Ib mpox virus in Burundi, most likely after initial introduction from South Kivu in DRC. The virus acquired several additional APOBEC-3 mediated mutations, in line with ongoing human to human transmission. More genomic sequencing is needed from neighbouring countries and more recent time points but it seems that the outbreak in Burundi is caused by in-country transmission after the initial introduction into Burundi.
...

https://virological.org/t/preliminary-analysis-of-98-genomic-sequences-of-mpxv-clade-ib-cases-from-burundi-july-to-september-2024/987/1

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Burundi: strengthening of the laboratory pillar in the response to MPOX



November 21, 2024

Bujumbura – The biomedical laboratory plays a vital role in the response to any epidemic. In Burundi, it is one of the pillars of the response to the current mpox epidemic. When the epidemic was declared on 25 July, the country was facing a lack of staff qualified enough to effectively manage the laboratory pole. Burundi is the second most affected country in the African Region by the current mpox epidemic, with 2003 confirmed cases as of 17 November.

“There are only two of us lab technicians and we take at least ten samples a day. We were even called in the middle of the night,” says Thierry Nzeyimana, a biomedical technologist at Kamenge hospital in Bujumbura, the district most affected by the epidemic in the country. “The lack of triple packaging equipment complicated the management and sending of samples to the national laboratory. It was very hard, but it is our lives and those of our fellow citizens that are at stake.”

Following this observation, the health authorities strengthened the laboratory pillar with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO). Thus, the Organization provided diagnostic inputs and supported the deployment of a mobile laboratory to bring the screening service closer to the population and ensure early detection of cases.

In Bujumbura Nord district, which alone accounts for over 40% of all reported cases and continues to experience active community transmission, WHO anticipated an imminent shortage of testing kits and ensured timely delivery of supplies. This rapid action by WHO was crucial in slowing transmission, particularly in high-risk areas such as Bujumbura Nord district, and helped maintain uninterrupted detection of MPOS cases and ensure timely delivery of laboratory results.

Also, more than 120 laboratory technicians, like Thierry, were trained in sampling and analysis techniques. “The training allowed me to better manage samples during this MPOX epidemic and we benefited from essential equipment, such as a sequencer, for rapid diagnostic tests,” he says.

This training focused on sample collection and security techniques. "The briefing of laboratory technicians was a valuable aid in the decentralization of screening at the district level and the involvement of the decentralized level in the management of this epidemic. Indeed, currently it is the trained laboratory technicians who ensure the sampling and the samples are sent to the national reference laboratory for analysis," explains Dr. Parfait Shingiro, Head of the Health Information and Communication Service of COUSP Burundi.

Rapid case detection helps to start life-saving treatment early. “The disease came on quickly, without headache or fever. Spots appeared on my face, hands and feet. Since I had no other symptoms, I waited two days to see if the spots would disappear on their own; instead, they kept coming back. So I went to the hospital in the northern district,” says Egide Bitangimana, 32, a trader in Bujumbura.

“I was tested and then confined until the results were available. And when the results came back positive, I was not afraid, because I knew that the disease could be cured. I stayed in the hospital for two weeks and the medical staff took good care of me until I recovered.”

For rapid availability of results, WHO provided the national laboratory with GeneXpert cartridges, which reduced the turnaround time from 24 hours to 1 hour.

Also, isolation areas and specialized centers have been set up where patients receive free medical care and food support. Efforts are being intensified to end the mpox epidemic in Burundi. The health authorities, supported by their partners, are implementing a multi-pronged strategy that has allowed them to record only one death to date.

This success is the result of concerted actions, in particular the strengthening of the essential pillars of the response, namely care, surveillance, active case finding, training of front-line workers, risk communication and community engagement, and rapid diagnosis.

“We will continue to build the capacity of frontline responders, including district medical officers, laboratory technicians and members of rapid response teams,” says Dr Issa Diallo, health emergency officer and incident manager for MPOS at the WHO Burundi office. “Their role in the fight against MPOS is essential, and the training also prepares them to deal with future outbreaks.”

With the capacity building, laboratory technicians are more than aware of their importance in the country's response strategy. "We are an essential link in the response chain," recognizes laboratory technician Thierry Nzeyimana. "Today, thanks to the WHO training, I am able to contribute effectively to the fight against this mpox epidemic and I feel ready to face any other health crisis to come."


https://www.afro.who.int/fr/countrie...iposte-la-mpox

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Burundian government's silence on MPOX epidemic disgraceful

2 hours ago
AFP

The disease has been detected in 46 of Burundi's 49 health districts, with a main focus in Bujumbura, which accounts for 60% of the cases recorded in the country.

The Burundian government has not communicated about the MPOX epidemic for months, even though the disease is present in almost the entire country, a doctor and journalists complain to AFP. In September, Burundi was the second most affected African country after the DRC.

"The management of the current MPOX in Burundi by the authorities is catastrophic, irresponsible and criminal ," said a Burundian doctor who requested anonymity. The authorities "have chosen to turn a blind eye, to hide the progression of this epidemic which is now affecting almost all the health districts in the country ," he added to AFP.

The practitioner accuses the state of having prohibited the Ministry of Health from continuing to publish statistics. Data from December 13, which he obtained and transmitted to AFP, indicate that 50% of the 5,339 suspected cases tested between the start of the epidemic in Burundi on July 25 and December 12 tested positive.

The disease has been detected in 46 of the country's 49 health districts, with a main focus in Bujumbura, which accounts for 60% of the cases recorded in the country. One person has died, according to the document.

"The fact that we discover about ten cases every day, that dozens of suspected cases are not tested or disappear into thin air confirms the fact that the epidemic (...) is not at all under control in Burundi, on the contrary ," the doctor insisted. The doctor urged the authorities to agree to use the vaccines against mpox proposed by international agencies, "which they have so far refused."

For months, "the Ministry of Health (...) has refused us access to treatment centers for patients ," a manager of a local private radio station added to AFP, on condition of anonymity. "The government no longer talks about MPOX" and no longer imposes health measures in meeting places, added another journalist. Contacted by AFP, neither the Ministry of Health nor the WHO office in Burundi responded.

MPOX, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that spreads from animals to humans but is also transmitted between humans, causing fever, muscle pain and skin lesions. The WHO had issued its highest level of international alert in August in the face of a resurgence of cases in Africa.

During a press briefing at the end of November, the health agency Africa CDC praised "the management of cases" in the country, while deploring "the weakness of prevention and surveillance" , which contributed to their increase.

https://www.voaafrique.com/a/burundi-le-silence-du-gouvernement-sur-l-%C3%A9pid%C3%A9mie-de-mpox-indigne/7904309.html

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Burundi: Mpox invades 93% of health districts

January 15, 2025

Monkeypox (MPox) continues its alarming progression in Burundi, now affecting 93% of the country's health districts. According to the latest UNICEF report published on January 12, 2025, the situation has worsened considerably compared to the previous year, with a rapid and widespread spread of the disease.

As of January 5, 2025, UNICEF specifies in its report, 46 of Burundi's 49 health districts have reported cases of Mpox, compared to only 33 the previous year. Out of 3,355 people screened, 1,767 tested positive, revealing the scale of the epidemic. Children are particularly vulnerable, representing 37% of positive cases among those under 15, making them the most affected age group.

Bujumbura province remains the epicenter of the epidemic, with its health districts being the hardest hit.

In the same report, UNICEF stresses that it is committed to continuing its support to the Burundian government, particularly by providing the kits needed to fight the epidemic.

https://www.rpa.bi/index.php/actualites/8sante/burundi-le-mpox-envahit-93-des-districts-sanitaires

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13 January 2025
...
Burundi Mpox Level 3 Emergency

HIGHLIGHTS

As of January 05, 2025, the epidemic has spread from 46 health
districts out of 49, or 93.8% of the districts. Of these, 17 are currently
active, having reported at least one confirmed case in the last 21 days
compared to 26 in November and 33 in October.

A total of 1,767 cases out of 3,035 confirmed cases reported were
recorded in three health districts of Bujumbura (Bujumbura North,
Center and South), or 58,2%. Bujumbura North continues to be the
most affected district with 1,142 cases, or 37.6% compared to 38.1% in
November.

Children under 15 years of age remain the most affected group with
37.8% compared to 39.5% in November; children under 5 years of age
represent 20.6% of total confirmed cases, compared to 21.7% in
November. However, young adults between 20 and 30 years of age
now represent 30,7% of cases, compared to 29.7% in November.
6,924 people affected by Mpox, including 3,557 children (51,3%), have
benefited from psychosocial support and mental health services in the
treatment centers and in the community.
...

https://www.unicef.org/media/166936/file/Burundi-Humanitarian-SitRep-Mpox-31-December-2024.pdf

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Special Briefing on Mpox & other Health Emergencies || Feb. 13, 2025


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