33% of Burundi's mpox patients are children and young people

The United Nations Children's Organization, UNICEF in Burundi says that 33 percent of monkey fever or mpox patients in the country are school-going children aged from 5 to 19 years, thus becoming a new challenge when families are preparing for the new year of studies.

The representative of UNICEF in Burundi, France Bégin, has said that the increase in mpox infection among children in Burundi, including those under the age of five, is of great concern and protecting them is our priority .

Since the confirmation of the first mpox patient in Burundi on July 25 this year, the Great Lakes nation in Africa has confirmed the presence of 564 patients, of which 62.9 percent are under the age of 19. Likewise, there are 1,576 suspected cases of the disease already the United Nations Health Organization in the world, WHO has approved its vaccine .

UNICEF says there have been 1,774 cases of the presence of the disease in all 34 districts of Burundi's 49 health districts across the country, where 3 districts in the capital Bujumbura are the epicenter of the outbreak .

Children and vulnerable communities have been the most affected by mpox in southern and eastern African countries .

More than 3 million children in Burundi are expected to return to school in the new year that began on the 16th of September, UNICEF and the government are increasing efforts so that they can return to school safely .