The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported an unprecedented surge in mpox cases across Africa since the beginning of 2024, with the virus spreading to several countries previously unaffected.
This escalation has prompted WHO to elevate its response to the highest level, necessitating an organization-wide mobilization.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, has called for an emergency committee meeting to assess whether the outbreak should be declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Currently, 15 African countries are reporting mpox outbreaks, with 2,030 confirmed cases and 13 deaths this year, compared to 1,145 cases and seven deaths in 2023.
Notably, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, which had not previously reported mpox cases, have identified infections since mid-July 2024.
Over 90% of the reported cases are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A new variant of the virus, identified in September 2023, is prevalent in the eastern region of DRC.
Neighbouring countries, including Rwanda and Uganda, have also reported cases of this new variant, and Kenya has confirmed its presence.
Investigations are underway in Burundi to determine if the cases are linked to the new variant.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, emphasized the urgent need to halt the virus’s spread.
“The priority is to interrupt the transmission of the virus rapidly. We’re collaborating with partners to support countries in reinforcing outbreak control measures and ensuring that communities are central to these efforts,” Dr Moeti stated.
Transmission patterns vary across the continent.
The new variant (clade 1b) in the eastern DRC is primarily spread through sexual contact and high population movement.
In South Africa, the majority of cases are among men who have sex with men. West and Central Africa continue to experience transmission related to the 2022 global outbreak.
Further analysis is required to understand these patterns more thoroughly and refine the response.
The WHO coordinates global, regional, and national efforts with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Key response areas include enhancing disease surveillance, diagnostic testing, clinical care, infection prevention, and control.
The WHO is also working to improve access to therapeutics, decentralize laboratory services, and increase public awareness.
Field investigations and active case finding are intensified in affected and at-risk countries.
WHO is enhancing contact tracing and leveraging experience from previous outbreaks to tailor interventions to the needs of key populations.
Additionally, the organization is mobilizing financial support to bolster the response.
To expedite the availability of vaccines and therapeutics, WHO is advancing the Emergency Use Listing Procedure.
The organization is collaborating with countries to develop vaccination strategies and plans, with vaccines being a critical tool in controlling the outbreak.
Mpox is primarily transmitted from animals to humans, often in areas near tropical rainforests where the virus-carrying animals are present.
Human-to-human transmission occurs through contact with bodily fluids, skin lesions, respiratory droplets, and contaminated objects.
Treatment for mpox is supportive, depending on symptoms, and ongoing development and testing of therapeutics are underway.
Public health efforts focus on community education and training of health workers to prevent infection and control transmission.
