Mpox Outbreak in Africa: Public Health Emergency Declared

On Tuesday, Africa's leading public health authority declared a "public healtfh emergency of continental security" in response to a rapidly spreading Mpox outbreak originating from the Democratic Republic of Congo and now affecting neighboring countries. Continue..................

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) sounded the alarm last week, citing an alarming increase in cases of Mpox, a viral infection transmitted through close contact. The virus causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, and while most cases are mild, the disease can be fatal. SHOW MORE

We declare today  that this public health emergency of continental security to mobilize our institutions, our collective will and our resources to act swiftly and decisively said Africa CDC Director General.

Then Outbreak In Congo began With the Endemic Clade I strain However, the new Clade Ib variant, which spreads more easily through close contact, particularly among children, has sparked increased concern. 

Kaseya emphasized the urgent need for more than 10 million doses of the Mpox vaccine, noting that only about 200,000 doses are currently available. He assured that the Africa CDC is committed to securing a sufficient vaccine supply for the continent, with plans to acquire over 10 million doses, starting with 3 million in 2024. SHOW MORE

So far this year, Africa has reported more than 15,000 Mpox cases and 461 deaths, marking a 160% increase from the same period last year. A total of 18 African countries have been affected by the outbreak.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has been endemic in parts of Africa since its first human detection in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970. However, a milder version of the virus spread to over 100 countries in 2022, mainly through sexual contact, leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency of international concern. This emergency status was lifted 10 months later as the global health crisis came under control. Continue.............

In response to the current outbreak, the US CDC issued a health alert last week to inform clinicians and health departments about the deadly new strain. Additionally, the Africa CDC received $10.4 million in emergency funding from the African Union to support its Mpox response efforts. SHOW MORE

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also committed to convening an emergency committee to determine whether the outbreak in Congo warrants declaring another public health emergency of international concern.

• Who declares the outbreak of the African emergency?
• Who declaration of mpox?
• Is mpox spreading?
• What is the new virus in Africa?