The African region is experiencing an unprecedented increase in mpox cases since the start of 2024, with 15 countries reporting cases and 2030 confirmed cases so far this year. This is a significant increase from 1145 cases and seven deaths reported in the whole of 2023.
The mpox outbreak has spread across Africa, with four countries – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda – previously unaffected by the disease reporting cases since mid-July 2024. The Democratic Republic of the Congo accounts for more than 90% of the reported cases, with a new variant that emerged in September 2023 circulating in its eastern region.
WHO ELEVATES OUTBREAK RESPONSE TO HIGHEST LEVEL
The World Health Organization (WHO) has elevated the mpox outbreak response to the highest level, requiring organization-wide mobilization and scale-up. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for an emergency committee of experts to meet and determine whether the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
NEW VARIANT EMERGES IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
The new variant of mpox, known as clade 1b, has been linked to transmission through sexual contact and high population movement in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda have also reported cases of this new variant.
GLOBAL RESPONSE TO THE OUTBREAK
The WHO is working at the global, regional, and national levels to ensure an effective response to the outbreak. The organization is collaborating with partners, including the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, to strengthen key response areas such as disease surveillance, diagnosis testing, and clinical care.
PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF MPOX
Mpox is transmitted from animals to humans, and treatment of patients is supportive dependent on symptoms. Prevention and control of mpox rely on raising awareness in communities and educating health workers to prevent infection and stop transmission.
Vaccines are one among many public health tools used to control mpox. The WHO is advancing the process for Emergency Use Listing Procedure, which will assess and list unlicensed vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics to expedite their availability for use during public health emergencies.