Mpox reemerges in Guinea-Bissau as outbreaks reach new shores

Mpox has surfaced in Guinea-Bissau for the first time, reflecting the disease’s spread to more countries since 2022. Two mpox clades exist, with a 2024 Clade I–related surge in the DRC prompting a WHO public health emergency of international concern; vaccines are available but access remains unequal, and a new global stockpile is planned. While the antiviral tecovirimat showed limited benefit for clade I, strong supportive care and robust public health measures—surveillance, testing, and contact tracing—are essential for containment. In Guinea-Bissau, many suspected cases are children, raising concerns about risk to young kids and the need for rapid containment, though data may be biased by healthcare-seeking patterns.