After the outbreak of Mpox (previously referred to as monkeypox) has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has declared a public health emergency on the continent.
Mpox is mainly spread through direct skin and mucosal contact with an infected individual, contaminated objects, or infected animals. The symptoms manifest as an acute rash, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, high fever, headache, and general muscle and body discomfort. The virus was initially identified in macaque monkeys during the late 1950s. The World Health Organization reported the first human case in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), where the disease continues to be endemic.
Recently, the Africa CDC released an alert regarding the rapid spread of a viral infection, particularly highlighting a new variant referred to as Clade Ib, which is prevalent in the conflict-affected Democratic Republic of the Congo. The health agency noted that countries previously free from the outbreak, such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, have now reported cases, leading to a total of 2,863 confirmed infections and 517 fatalities in the Democratic Republic. Additionally, in June, South Africa’s health ministry documented five instances of the infection, including the death of a 37-year-old man who had contracted the disease.
The Director General of Africa’s leading health authority, Jean Kaseya, introduced the latest initiative during a virtual press briefing held yesterday: “We announce this Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHECS) to galvanize our institutions, unify our collective resolve, and allocate our resources for prompt and decisive action.”
“This situation transcends a mere challenge; it represents a crisis that necessitates our united response. We call upon our international partners to take this opportunity to adopt a new approach and work in close collaboration with the Africa CDC to extend the essential support to our member states,” Kaseya emphasized.
Kaseya also revealed that an agreement had been established with the EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority, along with the biotechnology company Bavarian Nordic, to procure and swiftly distribute 200,000 vaccine doses to the impacted regions. “We have a definitive strategy to obtain over 10 million doses in Africa, commencing with 3 million doses in 2024,” he added.
According to Africa CDC Director General, currently, there is no necessity for travel restrictions.
During an emergency committee briefing on Wednesday, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared that the organization has developed a regional response strategy necessitating an initial funding of $15 million to address the Mpox outbreak in Africa. He noted that $1.45 million has already been allocated from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies, with intentions to disburse additional funds in the near future.
The World Health Organization committee convened to evaluate whether the outbreak in Africa qualifies as a public health emergency of international concern. This global health organization had previously classified Mpox as a public health emergency of international concern in May 2022, a designation that remained in effect until July 2023, when a less severe variant of the virus disseminated to over a hundred countries.
