By Sallieu S. Kanu
Moyamba, May 27, 2025—Deputy Minister of Health I, Dr. Charles Senesie, has announced the emergence of a new strain of MPox that affects the genitals—a distinction from previous strains of the virus. His remarks were made during the Civic Day Series in Moyamba on Tuesday.
While reassuring the public that the new strain is not as severe as Ebola or COVID-19, Dr. Senesie emphasized the importance of preventive measures to curb its spread. In response, the Ministry of Health has strengthened efforts to combat the outbreak by expanding treatment facilities, including the establishment of a 400-bed center at the Police Training School in Hastings.
The number of cases of mpox registered in Sierra Leone since the beginning of the year has hit more than 3,000, with 14 dead of the disease, according to new government data.
All of the regions in the country have now registered cases, according to the latest health ministry figures released late Friday.
The new figures mark a nearly 50% rise in registered cases since the previous update 10 days ago, on May 13, when 2,045 cases and 11 fatalities were registered since the start of the year.
Mpox is caused by a virus from the same family as smallpox, manifesting itself in a high fever and skin lesions.
First identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970, the disease had generally been confined to a dozen African countries before spreading more widely from 2022.
The WHO declared its highest level of alert in 2024.
Other African states have seen rising cases of mpox, with thousands of cases notably afflicting Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and Kenya.
Health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, urging citizens to adhere to safety guidelines to prevent transmission.