Health authorities in Guinea have confirmed that more than 200 people have been infected with mpox since the disease was first detected in the country late last year, amid a wider surge in cases reported across several West African nations.

According to Sory Keira, spokesperson for the National Agency for Health Security (ANSS), Guinea has registered a total of 206 cases since the outbreak began in September.

The infections include one death and 77 hospital admissions.

Mpox, a viral disease related to smallpox, is spread through close physical contact, either with infected animals or from person to person.

It was first identified in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The disease is marked by symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, and distinctive boil-like skin rashes. It can be fatal in some cases.

The virus exists in two main forms, known as clade 1 and clade 2.

While it has long been present in central Africa, it drew global attention in May 2022 when clade 2 began spreading internationally, primarily affecting gay and bisexual men.

Last month, World Health Organisation director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus maintained that mpox still poses an international health emergency, noting the increase in infections in West Africa.

In June, WHO said, “based on the continuing rise in the number of cases, including a recent increase in West Africa, and likely ongoing undetected transmission in some countries beyond the African continent,” the disease remains a global concern.

Neighbouring countries have also reported a surge in mpox cases. From January to late May this year, Sierra Leone recorded 3,350 cases and 16 deaths.

In early June, Liberia had 71 active cases, according to its National Public Health Institute. Thousands more infections have also been reported in DR Congo, Uganda, and Burundi, according to WHO data.