The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has reported that 12 member states have had 3,101 confirmed and 15,636 suspected cases, resulting in 541 deaths, representing a fatality rate of 2.89%.
The cases involve three strains of the virus, including the highly contagious and deadly Clade 1b, which led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare an international health emergency, its highest alert level.
According to the African Union’s health agency, a significant surge in mpox cases on the continent, with 18,737 suspected or confirmed cases have been recorded since the start of the year.
This includes a staggering 1,200 cases in just one week. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been severely worst hit by the mpox outbreak, with 1,005 cases (222 confirmed and 783 suspected) and 24 deaths reported in just one week.
The new Clade 1b strain was first detected in the DRC in September 2023, and since then, all 26 provinces – home to approximately 100 million people – have reported cases.
Neighbouring Burundi has also seen a significant surge, with 173 cases (39 confirmed and 134 suspected) representing a 75% increase in one week.
Notably, the number of cases reported since the beginning of the year has already surpassed the total number of cases in 2023, which stood at 14,383, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The mpox outbreak has seen a significant surge in cases since the beginning of the year, surpassing the total number of cases reported in 2023, which stood at 14,383, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In a concerning development, the first cases of mpox outside of Africa have been reported in Sweden and Pakistan.
In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) is set to publish its first recommendations from its emergency committee and has joined non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in calling for increased vaccine production.
Mpox is a viral disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans, as well as through human-to-human contact, particularly through sexual or close physical contact. Common symptoms include fever, muscular aches, and distinctive boil-like skin lesions.
The Clade 1b variant of mpox causes widespread skin eruptions all over the body, distinguishing it from previous variants that typically caused localized lesions around the mouth, face, or genitals.
The new strain has raised concerns due to its ability to spread more easily and cause more severe symptoms.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has a long history, with the first human cases detected in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 1970. Since then, the disease has been a persistent public health concern in the region.
