Sierra Leone has confirmed its first case of mpox, a viral disease, since the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its highest alert level in 2024.
The National Public Health Agency (NPHA), on Saturday announced that a 27-year-old man from the Western Zone, near the capital Freetown, tested positive on January 10.
“The patient is in stable condition and has been isolated,” the NPHA stated. Health officials are actively tracing individuals who may have been exposed to the virus. Surveillance measures are being intensified across the region, particularly in areas the patient visited.
Mpox, a viral infection related to smallpox, presents symptoms such as fever and skin lesions. While it was historically confined to central and West Africa, mpox began spreading globally in 2022. The WHO raised its alert to the highest level in 2024, signaling an ongoing threat.
This case comes almost a decade after Sierra Leone was severely affected by the Ebola outbreak, which claimed nearly 4,000 lives.
