Guinea-Bissau reports first mpox outbreak, UNICEF says

Guinea-Bissau is facing its first reported mpox outbreak, with seven confirmed cases and no deaths as of August 17, UNICEF said Thursday.

The UN children's agency said all confirmed cases were among adults, but 23 of 46 suspected cases were children aged under 15. UNICEF deputy representative Sandra Martins said even a small outbreak was a major public health event because mpox had not previously been reported in the country.

Martins said Guinea-Bissau's surveillance system remained extremely fragile and warned that cases could be going undetected, especially among children vulnerable to severe complications. UNICEF also said the reopening of schools next month could help spread the disease.

Mpox is caused by a virus from the same family as smallpox. It can pass from animals to humans and between people through close physical contact, and can cause fever, muscle aches and large boil-like skin lesions.