What is killing mpox patients?
Emilly Abigaba, the in-charge of the isolation unit at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital in the western district of Hoima, partly blames mpox deaths on knowledge gap.
Mpox update in Uganda (March 10, 2025)
Agnes Kyotalengerire
Journalist @New Vision
“When people develop signs and symptoms of mpox, they hide and resort to self-medication. By the time they come to seek medical care, it is too late."
Those are the words of Dr Bernard Lubwama, the deputy incident commander of mpox at Uganda's health ministry, as he weighs in on the reasons behind mpox deaths.
He also points to other factors.
For example, people living with HIV and are not on treatment are severely affected because their immune system is weakened.
Then, children with chronic diseases such as sickle cell disease, the malnourished and the elderly are at increased risk of severe illness, with death being the worst-case scenario.
Lubwama estimates that the longest time severely ill mpox patients spend admitted in a health facility is about 72 hours (three days).
In a bid to save a mpox patient's life, he advises the public to embrace early diagnosis and treatment.
Meanwhile, Uganda has registered 31 deaths from the 4,171 cumulative number of confirmed cases.
A total of 2,247 patients have recovered and been discharged as of March 10, according to data from the Ministry of Health.
Kampala (15) has recorded the highest number of deaths, followed by Wakiso district (5), Masaka district (3) and Mukono (2).
Mbarara, Masindi, Pallisa, Kikuube, Kalungu and Nakasongola districts have each recorded one death.
The 18 to 39 years age bracket is registering a high number of deaths, with females most affected.
The same health ministry report reveals that a total of 35 mpox confirmed cases were recorded in the last 24 hours (leading to March 10).
Meanwhile, the total of confirmed mpox patients hit 586 in the last 14 days.
Emilly Abigaba, the in-charge of the isolation unit at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital in the western district of Hoima, partly blames mpox deaths on knowledge gap.
“Most of the patients we admit do not know anything about mpox, as some mistake it for chicken pox,” she says, urging the government to intensify community awareness programmes.
At a glance
Previously known as monkeypox, mpox is a viral disease caused by an orthopoxvirus called monkeypox virus.
It spreads mainly through close contact with someone who has the disease, causing a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever.
The disease can make people very sick, leaving them with scars, in worst cases some patients succumb to the disease, according to Dr Bosa Kyobe, the incident commander of mpox at the health ministry.
He explains that the mpox virus is found in wild animals such as squirrels, rats, mice, and monkeys and can spread to human beings. 
It takes five to 21 days for the infected person to develop signs and symptoms, also termed as the incubation period.
You can also contract the disease by sharing contaminated sheets, clothes, bedding and sharp instruments like needles.
Infected pregnant women can pass the virus on to their unborn baby, adds Kyobe.
When someone contracts mpox, people will automatically know because the lesions are on the skin.
Contact may include sexual intercourse, kissing, touching and sharing clothes and bedding with an infected person.
Dr Lubwama advises people to avoid getting in contact with people who have lesions, unless you have proper protection.
He says the use of condoms will not protect you, apart from keeping away the sexual fluids. “It will not protect you from the disease because sex is intimate and really close contact."
As such, mpox patients should avoid sexual activity until skin rash clears.
Those recovering from mpox should practice safer sex by using condoms for at least 12 weeks (three months), according to WHO recommendations.