A rapid surge in Mpox cases in Africa has prompted WHO to declare a global health emergency. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains the focus of the outbreak.
According to the report, there is a cumulative total of more than 14,000 suspected cases and 511 deaths from January 7, 2024. Cases have been reported in over 70% of the 26 provinces.
Fifteen African countries have now reported mpox cases in 2024. Five countries have reported it for the first time. These include, Burundi (61), Cote d’Ivoire (7), Rwanda (4). Kenya (1) and Uganda (2). South Africa has had 24 cases notified and 3 deaths between April and August 2024. Congo, Cameroon and Central African Republic were also mentioned in the report.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) on August 13, 2024.
Mpox is a viral disease that's transmitted to humans by close physical contact. It was first identified in Africa in the 1970’s but surfaced as a major health threat during a global outbreak in 2022.
There are 2 types of Mpox. Clade 1 is the more severe form and found in Central Africa. The case fatality rate may exceed 10%. Clade 2 was responsible for the 2022 outbreak. It has a case fatality rate of less than 1% and is endemic to West Africa. The milder form of the disease is usually self-limiting, lasting 2-4 weeks. The severe form of the disease is mostly seen in Africa with higher fatality rates in children, pregnant women and those who are immunocompromised.
A case of mpox has recently been recorded in Sweden (August 16, 2024). The individual was infected during a trip to an area experiencing an outbreak.
The recent upsurge in cases has been attributed to a slightly different strain of Mpox which seems to spread more easily through close physical contact, including sexual. According to Africa CDC, 70% of cases and 85% of deaths are in children.
Access to vaccines is the biggest issue.
For more information on the current situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries, see CDC.
