Mpox declared public health emergency By Africa CDC

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, has been declared a public health emergency in Africa by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) due to its alarming spread.

Scientists are concerned about the rapid transmission of a new strain of mpox. Since the start of the year, over 13,700 cases and 450 deaths have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The virus has also spread to other African countries, including Burundi, the Central African Republic, Kenya, and Rwanda.

The declaration aims to enhance coordination among governments and boost the delivery of medical supplies and aid to affected regions.

Africa CDC head Jean Kaseya emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “This declaration is not merely a formality. It is a clarion call to action. We must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this threat.”

Global health authorities are also monitoring the situation. On July 29, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control assessed the risk of mpox spreading to Europe as “very low.”

Mpox spreads through close contact with infected individuals, including through sex, skin-to-skin contact, and respiratory droplets. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and body lesions, and untreated cases can be fatal.

There are two main strains of the virus: the milder strain responsible for the 2022 global outbreak, which primarily spread through sexual contact, and a more severe strain endemic to central Africa, now identified in the recent outbreak in DR Congo.

To combat the outbreak, plans are underway to secure around 10 million doses of the mpox vaccine for Africa, targeting those at risk or in close contact with infected individuals.