Kampala, Oct 11 (IANS): Uganda's Ministry of Health and World Health Organization (WHO) have dispatched an emergency response team to contain the increase of monkeypox cases in the central district of Nakasongola, an official said on Friday.

Byamukama Agaba, health officer of Nakasongola District, said in a situation report that national emergency rapid response and medical teams have been deployed to Nakasongola, about 117 km north of the capital city of Kampala, to combat the surge of mpox cases.

Agaba said two isolation and treatment units, equipped with beds and tents, were opened at Nakasongola Health Centre IV and Lwampanga Health Centre III.

"We plan to intensify contact tracing, including listing, follow-up, and risk communication in the affected villages, and conduct active case finding in the community and health facilities," said Agaba, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We also plan to orient the district disaster response team members on case identification, investigation, contact tracing and integrated disease surveillance and response, community dialogues and engagement," he added.

As of Thursday, the total number of confirmed cases in Nakasongola has reached 28. Previous reports showed that the district became a new hotspot of the virus due to activities in local bars and lodging facilities frequented by the fishing community.

In August, the WHO declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, highlighting its potential for further global transmission.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which spreads through close contact. Symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, skin rash, and back pain.