(MENAFN) Mozambique has reported a sharp uptick in mpox virus infections, with 11 confirmed cases emerging across the country in the last 48 hours, according to a National Directorate of Public Health update released Tuesday. No fatalities have been linked to the outbreak so far.

The northern province of Niassa is currently the epicenter, accounting for nearly half of the new cases—five of which were identified within just a few hours.

Niassa Governor Elina Massengele addressed the outbreak during a press briefing, stating that local health authorities have escalated their response measures to curb further transmission.

“We already have five cases here. We were at three, but the numbers keep on rising and there are still many people being tested with suspected cases of the disease. We have to be careful with this disease, because it’s transmissible,” Massengele said.

To support the response in Niassa, the Health Ministry—through the National Directorate of Public Health and the National Institute of Health—has deployed a specialized technical team to assist with patient care and containment efforts.

“This team will monitor the treatment as well as identify and quarantine close contacts, strengthen epidemiological surveillance and promote dissemination to the population,” Massengele added.

Mozambique previously detected mpox cases during an earlier outbreak in 2022, primarily in the capital, Maputo.

Mpox, a zoonotic virus, was first discovered in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It typically spreads through close contact and can cause severe illness in some cases.

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