Guinea-Bissau Faces Its First-Ever Mpox Outbreak, and Children Are Hit Hardest

Guinea-Bissau declared its first mpox outbreak on 4 July 2026. Mpox is an infectious virus. Of 46 suspected cases, about half are children under 15, including 16 under four. Only seven cases are lab-confirmed, all in adults. UNICEF warns the virus is likely spreading undetected because monitoring is weak, and the country has little capacity to treat very sick children.