Around 130 children and teenagers at displacement camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo have fallen ill due to a new and highly contagious strain of mpox. The outbreaks in camps near Goma, a crucial hub for aid organizations, have caused concerns about potential cross-border transmission of the virus. The country is facing challenges in containing the deadlier "clade 1" version of mpox, which has resulted in over 29,000 reported cases and 1,100 fatalities, the majority being children, since the beginning of 2023.

An alarming discovery was made in April when scientists identified a new strain of mpox with pandemic potential, named clade 1b. This variant, believed to spread more easily among individuals, particularly through sexual contact, has mutations that can elude detection by certain tests. Recent reports indicate that this strain has reached the city of Goma and the displacement camps surrounding it, where an estimated 750,000 people have sought refuge from escalating conflicts within the country involving the M23 rebel group and the Congolese government.

Local healthcare providers have noted around 130 suspected cases of mpox, primarily affecting children and teenagers in the past four weeks. Dr. Pierre-Olivier Ngadjole, a medical advisor for Medair, reported that half of the cases in the displacement camps involve children under the age of five. Efforts are underway to provide medical assistance and transfer patients from camps near Goma to a medical facility in Munigi on the city's outskirts.

The situation has raised concerns among health experts that the densely populated displacement camps could exacerbate the spread of mpox. Dr. Placide Mbala-Kingebeni, head of epidemiology and global health at the University of Kinshasa, expressed worries about the potential for a large outbreak, given the poor sanitary conditions in the camps and the increased risk of cross-border transmission, particularly with Goma's connections to neighboring countries.

Efforts to combat the outbreak have been hindered by limited resources, with the approval of two mpox vaccines in the DRC only happening recently. However, these vaccines are not yet widely available outside of clinical trials. A new trial is set to begin in Kamituga next month, involving 1,500 participants over the age of 10 to evaluate the effectiveness of post-exposure vaccination in reducing severe mpox infections. The trial, co-funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi) and the Canadian Institutes of Health, aims to provide critical data to guide response strategies and potentially help bring an end to the devastating outbreak in the DRC.