Bujumbura – Since the beginning of 2025, Burundi has recorded fewer mpox cases, with an average of 70 new cases per week during the first nine weeks of the year, as efforts continue to end the outbreak.

In the week ending on 26 February, 21 new cases were confirmed. A reduction of nearly 95% compared with the peak observed in the week of 21 – 27 October 2024 when 222 new cases were reported. Currently 15 of the 49 health districts out are reporting active transmission of the virus, down from 34 in September 2024.

One of Burundi’s mpox response priorities is providing adequate clinical care. For instance, the country’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (COUPS), with support from World Health Organization (WHO), has trained and deployed 246 rapid response teams to improve capacity to respond to the outbreak.

"Mpox was not well known among our communities and it can be very frightening because of the skin lesions patients can develop," says Dr Ange Larissa Nsabiyumva, a member of the rapid response team in the Matana health district in the southeast of the capital Bujumbura. "Some health workers were reluctant to administer the treatment for fear of infection or because of misdiagnoses such as scabies that were confusing. Nurses sometimes entered isolation rooms without precautions or protection to bring food, increasing the risk of transmission."

In July 2024, Burundi declared an outbreak of mpox. As of 26 February 2025, 147 cases were hospitalized out of the 3568 recorded since the beginning of outbreak. A total of 3420 people have recovered from the disease. Initially, the outbreak was aggravated by factors such as overcrowding, lack of access to clean water, as well as stigma related to the disease and lack of trained health professionals.

"Through the training, we were able to guide health workers to effectively allay their concerns by informing them about the disease and about adequate protective measures, such as infection prevention and control equipment," notes Dr Nsabiyumva.

A total of 83 district and provincial head doctors have also been trained in clinical care protocol as well as supervision of community health workers, who are responsible for monitoring patients at home. More than 90 community health workers and 40 health promotion officers have been trained on active contact tracing, patient referral and follow-up for 21 days.

"Following the training, we explained to our staff that a patient with mpox should be treated like everyone else," says Dr Armel Bitaneza, chief medical officer of Bujumbura North, the most affected district in the country. "Since we sensitized communities and trained staff in health facilities on mpox, early detection and follow-up of cases have improved significantly."

In the field, community health workers and trained health promotion officers are strengthening surveillance. As soon as the first symptoms appear, they refer patients to the treatment centre for appropriate care.

"One night I had a high fever and headache, so I thought it was malaria. The next day, pimples appeared on my face, arms and legs so I was referred to the hospital," says Tharcisse, 43, a resident of Bujumbura’s Carama district. "The medical teams were very committed and took good care of me. What is most urgent is to stop the spread of the disease in our country."

To date, Burundi has recorded only one death due to mpox. The health authorities, with support from WHO, have continued to improve the response. The Organization has supported the decentralization of diagnosis by pre-positioning kits and medical supplies, deploying experts to support rapid case detection and disease surveillance, investigation of alerts, as well as contact tracing and follow-up. WHO has also supported the development of treatment guidelines, risk communication and community engagement and resource mobilization.

"All health actors have a fundamental role to play in responding to an outbreak like the current one. To respond effectively, there must be a good understanding of the infection by the actors involved, especially those in the frontlines," says Dr Issa Diallo, Health Emergencies Officer and Mpox Incident Manager with WHO in Burundi. "With proper care, patients recover quickly and there are fewer deaths."