By Rennie Tembo and Eranivey Temani

Lilongwe, May 21, Mana; Lilongwe District Environmental Health Officer Chisomo Kankhwali has revealed that Malawi has recorded 10 cases of Mpox, with 8 cases reported in Lilongwe, from April to May 2025.

Speaking in Lilongwe on Tuesday during an engagement meeting with Stakeholders Kankhwali said the disease was first discovered at Bwaila District Hospital where 2 people were reported to have signs of the disease.

“On 20 March, 2025 Bwaila hospital reported a suspected case of Mpox involving a 30-year-old man and a 33-year-old man who came in with symptoms of malaria, but upon taking samples to National Rerefence Labolatory at the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM), it was discovered that the men had Mpox,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Kankhwali said in the past seven days, five new suspected cases of Mpox were identified, of which three have been confirmed.

“This only indicates that the virus is still spreading and the pandemic is out there and it is very worrisome, but we are working closely with the public health officials to monitor the situation and prevent further spreading of the disease,’’ he said.

Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) Principal Communications Officer Grace Kapatuka said time has come for people in the country to take precautionary measures.

‘’We need to hold hands and sensitive people about the disease so that they should be aware and start following precautionary measures in order to contain further spreading of the pandemic,’’ she said.

Mpox is a viral infection which is caused by monkeypox virus, a type of orthopoxvirus and it can be transmitted through direct contact with infected animals, close contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids and respiratory tract.

Its signs and symptoms include fever, rash lesions, headache, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the current Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024 and currently at least 12 African countries have reported cases of Mpox, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) being the most affected.

Currently, four Mpox patients have recovered while four others are still being monitored. Lilongwe District Health Office organized the meeting with financial support from UNICEF.