Children account for half of Guinea-Bissau mpox cases as outbreak continues
Guinea-Bissau has recorded seven confirmed and 46 suspected mpox cases since declaring an outbreak on July 4, with children comprising half of reported patients and no deaths recorded.
In short
- Guinea-Bissau has recorded seven confirmed and 46 suspected mpox cases since declaring an outbreak on July 4, with children comprising half of reported patients and no deaths recorded.
Children make up half of the mpox patients reported in Guinea-Bissau during an outbreak that health officials say is continuing to spread, with the country's limited surveillance capacity raising concern that additional infections may be going undetected.
Authorities have recorded seven confirmed cases and 46 suspected cases since the national outbreak was declared on July 4, 2026. Sixteen of the reported patients are children younger than four, and no deaths have been recorded.
Most confirmed infections are in the autonomous sector that includes the capital, Bissau, while one case has been identified in neighbouring Biombo. Health specialists say the virus variants detected are consistent with those circulating in nearby countries, underlining the risk of cross-border transmission.
UNICEF warned on August 20 that fragile health-surveillance systems could leave more children exposed. Community health workers, supported by the Health Ministry and international agencies, have begun door-to-door awareness campaigns using translated information materials.
Public-health officials are calling for stronger disease monitoring and greater frontline capacity. The response carries added urgency because primary schools are scheduled to reopen across Guinea-Bissau in September.
