The resurgence of mpox has sparked global concern, particularly with the emergence of a more deadly variant. The current outbreak is posing a serious challenge in the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially for children. DW reports.
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00:00Zainambaho, who is three, and his 12-year-old brother, Zibomana Titu, are recovering from
00:06mpox.
00:07Their mother is relieved they're on the mend.
00:11The virus hit her little one particularly hard, she says.
00:16When the illness started, he didn't sleep.
00:20He was crying all night.
00:22In the morning, he had a high fever and started to get rashes.
00:28That's why I came here, to the hospital.
00:33Here doctors gave the children antibiotics and a cream, and monitor the temperature.
00:41The rashes were hurting me, but when I put the medicine on, I feel better.
00:48This hospital near Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is full of children and
00:53young people with mpox.
00:55They're more likely to get it, and more likely to die as a result.
01:01The viral infection spreads through contact with skin, saliva or breath, but also through
01:06sexual contact.
01:09We have a mortality rate of between 5 and 10 percent, as the disease is transmitted
01:14directly and massively.
01:17In the context of Goma, we have a displaced population in the camps.
01:22Here the risks are really high.
01:28Living in cramped camps for people displaced by conflict is a health risk in itself.
01:33Cholera and polio outbreaks are common, and there is not enough to eat or clean water.
01:38Now there's mpox too.
01:40At home life has become complicated.
01:43It's difficult to feed my children.
01:45I work at a farm to earn money for food, but now I can't do that because I have to look
01:49after them here.
01:54Together with her children, she's now in quarantine here.
01:57To try to stop the virus spreading via the children's clothes, she washes them as often
02:01as she can.
02:03News about the virus sows uncertainty and fear.
02:06In the camp we all live together, we greet each other a lot with our hands, and they
02:11say touching is one of the main factors in the spread of the disease.
02:15I'm afraid I might catch the disease and die.
02:18We demand more help with medication.
02:21Health organizations say they urgently need more supplies to help those affected, and
02:27awareness campaigns to try to stop the virus from spreading.
02:32It's time for politicians to act.
02:34We need more vaccinations.
02:37Also the WHO has to step up here.
02:42Zainan Bajo is recovering from mpox, and his mother Maombi hopes to return to her other
02:47children soon.
02:49But she worries about the new virus.
02:51It's another danger stalking families like hers.