ADDIS ABABA (Agencies): Africa’s top public health body has declared a public health emergency over the growing mpox outbreak that has spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to neighboring countries. The African Union’s health watchdog, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), made the announcement, calling it a “clarion call for action.”
“I declare with a heavy heart but with an unyielding commitment to our people, to our African citizens, we declare mpox as a public health emergency of continental security,” said Jean Kaseya, head of Africa CDC, during an online media briefing on Tuesday.
Mpox has now crossed borders, affecting thousands across the continent. According to CDC data as of August 4, there have been 38,465 cases of mpox and 1,456 deaths in Africa since January 20221.
“This declaration is not merely a formality, it is a clarion call to action. It is a recognition that we can no longer afford to be reactive. We must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this threat,” Kaseya emphasized.
Mpox is transmitted through close contact and causes rashes, flu-like symptoms, and pus-filled lesions. While most cases are mild, the disease can be fatal, particularly for children, pregnant women, and those with suppressed immune systems.
The outbreak has significantly impacted several African countries, especially the DRC, where the virus was first discovered in humans in 1970. The new variant, known as clade 1b, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact2.
The Africa CDC warned last week that the rate of spread of the viral infection is alarming, with more than 15,000 mpox cases and 461 deaths reported on the continent this year alone, representing a 160 percent increase from the same period last year3.
A milder version of the virus spread to more than 100 countries in 2022, largely through sexual contact, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency of international concern, its highest level of alert4.
This news highlights the urgent need for proactive measures to combat the mpox outbreak in Africa.