- Mpox cases in Africa surge 160% in 2024, with 96% of 14,250 cases reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and new outbreaks in Kenya, Cote d'Ivoire, and Central African Republic.
- WHO Director-General considers convening an expert committee to potentially declare the outbreak an international public health emergency.
Mpox cases in Africa have gone up by 160% this year compared to 2023, according to a report from the Africa CDC. Most of these cases (96%) are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but new outbreaks have also been reported in Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, and the Central African Republic (CAR).
As of July 28, 2024, there have been 14,250 cases (2,745 confirmed and 11,505 suspected) and 456 deaths in 10 African countries, including Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, Congo, DRC, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa, as reported by CIDRAP.
“While mpox is moderately transmissible and usually self-limiting, the case fatality rate has been much higher on the African continent compared to the rest of the world,” the Africa CDC said.
Mpox, once called monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. This virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus group, which also includes smallpox, cowpox, and vaccinia. Mpox was first found in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and skin lesions that look like large boils.
Since last September, the Democratic Republic of Congo has seen a big rise in mpox cases. The outbreak is worse because of a new strain of the virus found in nearby countries. The World Health Organization (WHO), Africa CDC, local governments, and other partners are ramping up their response to the crisis.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, said he might call an expert committee to decide if the outbreak should be declared an international public healthcare emergency.
As a deadlier strain of #mpox spreads to multiple African countries, @WHO, @AfricaCDC, local governments and partners are further scaling up the response to interrupt disease transmission. But more funding and support for a comprehensive response are needed.
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) August 4, 2024
I am considering…
Additionally, reports suggest that WHO experts fear this outbreak could lead to a new mpox epidemic, just two years after a milder strain spread worldwide.
Edited by Harshajit Sarmah
