KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) appealed Thursday for $16.5 million to scale up its mpox response in East and Southern Africa.

Children and vulnerable communities are on the verge of an expanding outbreak of mpox in the region as confirmed cases have been detected across Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and South Africa, the UN agency’s regional director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli, said in a statement.

Burundi has so far confirmed more than 500 mpox cases in about 25 out of the 49 districts of the country, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

UNICEF said children and adolescents below 20 years of age constitute nearly 60% of the cases detected, with children under 5 years old accounting for 21%.

“Aside from immediate lifesaving response, risk communication efforts and cross-border collaboration, investments in overall health system strengthening, continuity of essential services and a targeted focus on programs that support overall child wellbeing must be prioritized,” said Kadilli.

The new variant of the mpox virus (clade Ib) has been detected in all affected countries except South Africa, raising concern due to its potential for wider transmission across age groups, particularly young children, according to UNICEF.

It also expressed concern about the secondary impact of mpox outbreaks on children and adolescents, citing stigma, discrimination and disruptions to schooling and learning.

The Democratic Republic of Congo remains the most affected country by the epidemic, with nearly 18,000 cases recorded since the beginning of 2024, figures from Africa CDC show.