In the heart of Congo’s gold country, a silent killer is on the loose. Kamituga, a bustling mining town of 300,000, has become ground zero for a new strain of mpox that got health experts on high alert.
This is not your average outbreak. We’re talking about a virus that has mutated, spreading faster and hitting harder than ever before. Kids, pregnant women, miners – no one is safe. And in a town where people are always on the move, it is a recipe for disaster.
The numbers are staggering. Nearly 1,000 infected in Kamituga alone, with eight deaths – half of them children. Across South Kivu province, cases have skyrocketed from 12 a week in January to 600 in August. And that is probably just the tip of the iceberg.
But here is the kicker – there’s no cavalry coming. No vaccines, not enough money, and information is scarce. Locals are flying blind, often mistaking mpox for other diseases until it is too late.
Take Divine Wisoba, a 21-year-old mom who lost her baby girl to the virus. She did not even know what mpox was until she caught it herself. Now, she is left mourning at a tiny grave, a stark reminder of the human cost of this crisis.
As the virus spreads, fear follows. With limited resources and understanding, Kamituga’s residents are facing a golden nightmare that shows no signs of ending soon.