Mpox outbreaks are escalating in Africa, with 15 countries reporting active cases. Dominated by the DRC and Burundi, the situation has prompted calls for increased vaccination and comprehensive public health interventions. U.S. President Biden has pledged $500 million and 1 million vaccine doses to assist African nations in managing the outbreak. Despite these commitments, health experts emphasize the need for extensive public health measures to control the virus’s spread.
As cases of mpox surge across Africa, public health authorities and global leaders are urging immediate action to control the outbreak. Currently, fifteen African countries have confirmed active cases, with Morocco recently reporting its first instance. According to Samuel Boland, the mpox incident manager for the World Health Organization (WHO) regional office for Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi account for nearly 90% of confirmed cases, but infections are now increasing in other nations such as Cameroon, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Republic of Congo, Liberia, Uganda, Kenya, Gabon, Rwanda, South Africa, and Guinea. The WHO has identified two distinct clades of the virus: Clade I, formerly known as the Congo Basin clade, and Clade II, previously referred to as the West African clade. Mpox, previously termed monkeypox, is transmitted primarily through close contact between individuals and, to a lesser extent, through contaminated objects or surfaces. Symptoms typically include fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. To date, there have been 6,580 confirmed cases of mpox in 2024, with a substantial number of suspected cases reaching nearly 32,000. Among these suspected cases, the fatality rate stands at 844, while 32 confirmed deaths have been reported this year alone. During a recent virtual briefing, Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emphasized that mpox remains uncontrolled in the region. He noted that while there have been commitments for vaccine donations, they are inadequate for managing the current situation. “Today, we have almost around 4 million commitments of doses, but we say we need more,” said Kaseya. In addressing the global community on September 24, 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden highlighted the urgent need to tackle the mpox outbreak in Africa. He announced a commitment of $500 million to assist African nations in preventing and responding to the outbreak, along with the donation of 1 million doses of mpox vaccine. However, no specific timeline for the delivery of these vaccines was provided. Biden assured that the investments would be made through both bilateral and multilateral channels. In addition to vaccination efforts, Samuel Boland emphasized the necessity for comprehensive public health interventions, including enhanced surveillance, case investigation, contact tracing, and community engagement to encourage reporting of cases. “Things like surveillance, which will include case investigation and contact tracing — both going out into communities and looking for cases,” he explained, underscoring the importance of a multifaceted approach, including infection prevention, control, and case management.
Mpox is a viral infection that has gained increasing prevalence in Africa, prompting public health concerns due to its rapid spread and rising number of cases. The WHO has placed particular focus on countries such as the DRC and Burundi for their significant case counts, while also noting emerging instances in multiple other African nations. Given the highly contagious nature of mpox and its potential severity, global entities are mobilizing resources to counter the outbreak. Vaccination and robust public health measures are essential in reversing the current trend of increasing infections.
The ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa poses a serious public health challenge, with confirmed cases continuing to rise across multiple countries. While efforts are being made to increase vaccine availability and funding, public health authorities recognize the need for enhanced surveillance and community engagement to effectively manage and control the spread of the virus. A concerted global effort remains critical to provide adequate support to the affected regions and address the pressing health crisis.
Original Source: www.voanews.com
