Africa’s Mpox Crisis Escalates
The mpox outbreak across Africa continues to spiral, with cases rising sharply in several countries, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern after identifying a new virus variant.
Countries across the continent struggle to combat the spread of mpox as weak health systems, already battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, again prove inadequate. Africa CDC’s latest data reveals a staggering 177% increase in mpox cases and a 38.5% rise in deaths compared to the same time last year.
Jean Kaseya, director general of Africa CDC, emphasized the severity of the situation during a weekly briefing. “Mpox is not under control in Africa. The continued rise in cases alarms us all,” he said. In just one week, health authorities reported 2,912 new cases, including the first case in Morocco, confirming the disease’s spread across all four regions of the continent.
So far, 15 of the African Union’s 55 member states have reported cases, with 14 deaths occurring in just one week. Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo face the additional challenge of two mpox strains circulating within their borders. However, limited surveillance and testing systems prevent authorities from determining if other countries face the same situation.
Rwanda has launched its vaccination campaign, while the Democratic Republic of Congo, the epicenter of the outbreak, plans to start vaccinations in early October.
Africa’s Mpox Crisis Escalates
