Madagascar is experiencing a worrying phase in its management of the Mpox epidemic. The Ministry of Public Health has confirmed the first death linked to this viral disease since the first cases appeared on the island. The victim was a three-year-old girl from Toamasina, in the east of the country.

An alert has been issued in Madagascar following a death from Mpox. According to official reports, the child was admitted to a hospital in the capital in critical condition. Virological tests confirmed infection with Mpox, also known as monkeypox. Health authorities indicate that the patient presented with characteristic clinical signs, including widespread skin rashes and significant general weakness, consistent with the severe forms observed in some young children or vulnerable individuals.

The family disputed the decision to provide care.

The girl's family, however, is questioning the circumstances surrounding her medical care. According to her mother, the first symptoms appeared after an ankle injury. The child was initially treated by traditional healers before her condition worsened. Only then was she transported to a hospital in Antananarivo, the Malagasy capital.

The father, for his part, mentions repeated refusals of admission to certain facilities and delays in receiving specialized care. Authorities, however, maintain that biological tests have definitively identified the Mpox virus. They dismiss any ambiguity regarding the cause of death. The first confirmed cases of Mpox in Madagascar were detected in Mahajanga, in the Boeny region, at the end of December 2025.

Epidemiological situation in Madagascar

Since then, the number of infections has steadily increased. According to the latest figures released in early March, the country has recorded 457 confirmed cases, including 321 recoveries. Health authorities indicate that the majority of patients present with mild symptoms, such as fever, headaches, and skin rashes. The government has strengthened epidemiological surveillance measures, particularly in coastal regions and major urban centers.

Awareness campaigns have been launched to inform the public about modes of transmission, symptoms, and preventive measures. Mpox is transmitted through close contact with an infected person, through skin lesions, bodily fluids, or during sexual intercourse. The situation in Madagascar is part of a continental context of regular Mpox outbreaks.

Mpox in Africa: a persistent circulation

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, considered one of the historical epicenters of the virus, thousands of cases are reported each year, with active circulation in several provinces. Congolese authorities have intensified surveillance after the identification of new viral sequences. In Nigeria, the virus has also been circulating endemically for several years.

Successive waves have been observed, particularly in large urban areas. In Cameroon and the Central African Republic, sporadic cases continue to be detected, often in rural areas near forests where contact with wildlife is frequent. According to the World Health Organization, Mpox is caused by an orthopoxvirus related to the human smallpox virus.

Early detection and isolation of suspected cases

Historically transmitted from animals to humans, particularly via rodents and certain primates, the virus has gradually adapted to human-to-human transmission. In Madagascar, authorities are emphasizing the importance of early detection and isolation of suspected cases. The Ministry of Health reminds the public that any onset of fever accompanied by a skin rash should prompt a prompt medical consultation.