Over 13,700 MPox Cases and 450 Deaths Reported in DR Congo Alone
The virus, known for causing severe lesions across the body, has also spread to neighboring countries, including Burundi, the Central African Republic (CAR), Kenya, and Rwanda. The emergency declaration aims to boost coordination among African governments and ensure a more robust flow of medical supplies and aid to the hardest-hit areas.
Africa’s top health body, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), has declared mpox—a highly infectious disease formerly known as monkey pox—a public health emergency across the continent. This urgent declaration follows a rapid spread of a new, more deadly strain of the virus, with over 13,700 cases and 450 deaths reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since the start of the year.
Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa CDC, emphasized the gravity of the situation, warning that the disease could spiral out of control without immediate, aggressive action. “This declaration is not merely a formality,” Kaseya stated. “It is a clarion call to action. We must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this threat.”
Globally, health authorities are closely monitoring the situation, though the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recently assessed the risk of mpox spreading in Europe as “very low.”
Mpox, which spreads through close contact—including sexual contact and skin-to-skin interaction—can cause symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and potentially deadly lesions. The new strain discovered in DR Congo belongs to a more lethal variant endemic to central Africa, unlike the milder strain that led to a global outbreak in 2022.
In response to the escalating crisis, Africa CDC has announced plans to secure approximately 10 million doses of vaccines to curb the spread of mpox on the continent. Currently, vaccines are primarily available to those at high risk or those who have had close contact with an infected person.
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