Kitgum registers fresh suspected Mpox case

Kitgum: Health authorities in Kitgum District have reported a new suspected case of Mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox), adding to growing concerns amid Uganda’s ongoing outbreak.

According to Mr. Ojok Thomas, Administrator at Kitgum General Hospital, the suspected case involves a 30-year-old mechanic working at a garage in the Central Division of Kitgum Municipality.

Ojok revealed that the individual first exhibited signs consistent with Mpox on April 10, 2025. Health workers tracked him down and placed him in quarantine on the morning of Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

“Specimens have been collected and sent to the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) for confirmatory testing,” Ojok stated.

Due to limited space at the hospital, the patient is currently being isolated at home under the close supervision of medical personnel.

Ojok explained that home isolation was necessary because the hospital’s isolation unit is currently occupied by a suspected cholera patient and with the high mortality rate of cholera in the region, keeping both patients in the same facility would increase health risks.

The identity of the suspected Mpox patient has been withheld in line with medical privacy protocols.

Uganda continues to battle an ongoing Mpox outbreak. As of March 2025, the Ministry of Health reported 3,833 confirmed cases and 31 deaths attributed to the disease.

Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease characterized by fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. While it is less contagious than diseases like COVID-19, it can spread through close physical contact, body fluids, and contaminated materials.

Health authorities urge the public to report suspicious symptoms early, practice good hygiene, and avoid contact with infected individuals.

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