The Ministry of Health has reported the first Mpox death as the cumulative confirmed number of infections rose to 153, about three months after the initial cases were detected in the country.

Details from the ministry show the death was reported in Masindi from a person living with HIV. The district has registered three cases of the viral disease, which manifests with severe and raised pus-filled bumps on the face, private parts and other parts of the body.

Speaking to health officials and district leaders during the Annual Health Sub-Programme Joint Review Mission in Kampala on Wednesday, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Health minister, called for an urgent reactivation of district task forces that helped in the Covid-19 fight to support the Mpox response.

“The monkeypox [Mpox] outbreak. We may think it is a simple issue but it is not. This outbreak that has affected the entire globe needs to be controlled and brought to an end. In Uganda, it was confirmed on the 24th of July 2024,” she said.

“The outbreak continues to spread. To date, we have a cumulative total cases of 153, out of which 42 were in the last one week. In the last few days, the number of cases is increasing exponentially,” she added.

Dr Aceng revealed that 19 districts have reported cases. The most affected is Kampala with 55 cases, followed by Nakasongola, the fishing community, which has 35 cases, and Wakiso with 23 cases.

“We lost one case, who was a patient with HIV, with a very low CD4 count. And this goes to emphasise that people who are immune-compromised and also children are at risk. People living with HIV who are not taking their medicines well and don’t have good viral load suppression are at risk,” she revealed.

Kampala metropolitan area (Kampala and Wakiso) leading in terms of infection was the same experience during Covid-19 where most cases were also in the area. Scientists explained that cities have a higher risk of disease spread because of the large concentration of the population (crowding) and they are hubs of transnational commerce and mobility, which increase exposure risks.

Dr Aceng said the major mode of transmission of Mpox seems to be sexual intercourse, although there are other modes of infection, including physical contact.

“I, therefore, want to appeal to all district leaders who are here, and especially the chair of the local government, you need to reach to reach out to all local governments to activate their district task forces,” she said.

“We don’t need money to activate the district task forces – sit, plan and act. We need action to control the monkeypox outbreak. You may take it jokingly until it affects your relatives and friends and you start hating your entire body because it does not look so beautiful. We should prevent it,” she added.