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Sex trade: Uganda registers 70% increase in Mpox cases

Sex workers on the streets of Kampala City. The rising Mpox infections have been blamed on commercial sex work. Photo/File

What you need to know:

  • The incident commander said the main remedy is to limit commercial sex activity. This proposal is coming just a few days after President Museveni reportedly donated Shs100 million to commercial Sex Workers’ Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (Sacco) in Mbale.

A new report from the Mpox response team shows that the cumulative number of Mpox infections has increased from 925 on December 8 of last year to 1,571 cases as of January 6, an increase of about 70 percent.

This rise in infections with the viral disease, whose outbreak was confirmed in Uganda last July, also saw cumulative death increase from six to 10 in the same period. Details in the report show that of the new cases, Wakiso had the highest (17), while Kampala and Lira reported one case each.

But generally, the cumulative infections reported in the 166 days since the outbreak, of the 71 districts affected Kampala Metropolitan Area is the most affected with 1,095 cases, which is more than 60 percent of the total cases in the country.

The response team indicated in the report that Kampala had 808 cases with one death, Wakiso followed with 246 cases, and Mukono had 41 cases. Outside the Kampala Metropolitan Area, Nakasongola District has the highest number of cases (77), followed by Mbarara City (44), and Hoima City (13).

Speaking to this publication on Tuesday, January 7, Dr Henry Kyobe, the Mpox incident commander at the Ministry of Health, describing the disease as “an established public health problem’’ and blamed the rising infections on commercial sex work. “It is an increasing trend and is characteristically linked to the festive season where we think there were a lot of social activities,” Dr Kyobe said.

“What is driving the infections is commercial sex activity where you have individuals who get exposed through commercial sex activity and then they expose others and again the story continues,” he added.

The incident commander said the main remedy is to limit commercial sex activity. This proposal is coming just a few days after President Museveni reportedly donated Shs100 million to commercial Sex Workers’ Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (Sacco) in Mbale.

“The key thing is that if we are able to limit commercial sex activity, then we can reduce the infections and of course engage with these commercial sex workers,” Dr Kyobe said when asked about areas in the response that need to be strengthened.

“We are working closely with them to tell them to stop commercial sex activity as the only remedy to interrupt transmission,” he added.

Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of Health, recently also warned the public against relying on condoms in Mpox prevention saying they don’t provide sufficient protection.

“Do not be deceived, condoms cannot protect you from monkeypox (alias mpox). The people who handle HIV including myself will encourage you to put on a condom but in the case of monkeypox, please zero-graze at home,” she said.

“As long as you are sexually active, protect yourself because the strain (type) in Uganda, Clade1b is majorly sexually transmitted,” she added.

Details from the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that although condoms can offer some protection for covered body parts, “condoms alone may not prevent all exposures to Mpox since the rash can occur on other parts of the body.”

The Health minister also said the virus can be transmitted through contact with an infected person, especially “when they have the pustules (push-filled bumps) on the body.”

“It can also be transmitted through sharing of clothing and beddings, and contaminated surfaces such as tables and chairs. So we have to prevent it. Wash your hands with soap and water, sanitise, do not share clothings and beddings,” she added.

Mpox is a viral disease characterised by distinct severe sores all over the body, including the face and private parts. It was first reported in Uganda in July and at least one virus death has been confirmed in Uganda. The sores on the skin can last between two and four weeks, affecting one’s physical appearance and ability to work.

The other symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. According to scientists, during pregnancy, the virus may be passed to the foetus, or to the newborn during birth.

Mpox is treated with supportive care for symptoms such as pain and fever, with close attention to nutrition, hydration, skin care, prevention of secondary infections, and treatment of co-infections, including HIV where present, the World Health Organisation indicates.