Under-10s most likely to be affected by mpox, warns health charity

Image of mpox virus

Children in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are at the forefront of the outbreak

Mpox was recently declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO), but young people seem to be impacted the most by the outbreak.

Around 75% of mpox cases being seen by medics in DRC, at the centre of the outbreak, are in children under the age of 10, Dr Pierre-Olivier Ngadjole from the charity Medair told the BBC.

It is believed that children are particularly susceptible to the virus because of their less developed immune systems.

In most cases of mpox, those infected will display rashes, flu-like symptoms and fever. However, not all symptoms will show up in every case. Individuals with weakened immunity are most at risk of developing severe symptoms of mpox.

How mpox spreads in children

Mpox is typically spread through skin-to-skin contact with infected people, animals or contaminated materials.

It can take between three and 21 days for symptoms to develop after exposure. Most people affected by mpox recover without treatment after a few weeks.

There are 10 common symptoms in children:

  • Flu-like symptoms
  • Chills and sweats
  • Rash
  • Fatigue and headache
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Eyelid swelling
  • Back pain
  • Low energy
  • Joint pain
  • Swollen glands.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has called on the international community to provide support in response to the outbreak.