Madagascar has reported its first death linked to mpox after a three-year-old girl died following hospitalization in the eastern port city of Toamasina, health authorities said.
Health Ministry spokesperson Mamy Randria said the child died on Saturday after initially being treated at one hospital before being transferred to a public medical facility at the request of her family.
Doctors observed skin rashes across the child’s body and said she was already in a severely weakened condition when she arrived at the hospital, Randria told reporters Monday.
According to her parents, the girl became ill after suffering a sprained ankle. They initially sought treatment from traditional healers before turning to hospitals, where they reportedly faced delays and refusals of care.
Despite objections from some family members, health officials said laboratory tests later confirmed that the child had been infected with mpox.
Madagascar first detected mpox cases on Dec. 30, when five infections were confirmed in Mahajanga in the Boeny region on the country’s west coast.
Since the outbreak began, authorities say the island nation has recorded 457 confirmed cases, with 321 patients recovering so far.
Health officials continue to monitor the situation as they work to contain the spread of the virus.