Africa CDC signals increase in mpox cases, initiates response strategy alongside WHO
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning on Friday about an "upward trend" in mpox cases in Africa, coinciding with the introduction of a collaborative continental response plan alongside the World Health Organization.
TroibNews 
Africa is experiencing an "upward trend" in mpox cases, as warned by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, coinciding with the launch of a collaborative continental response plan with the World Health Organization.
This six-month plan, set to take place from September 2024 to February 2025, has a projected budget of nearly $600 million. Of this amount, 55 percent is designated for mpox response efforts in affected nations, while the remaining 45 percent is aimed at providing operational and technical support through various partner organizations.
Since the beginning of 2024, the continent has reported 24,851 suspected mpox cases, which include 5,549 confirmed cases and 643 deaths, according to Jean Kaseya, the director general of Africa CDC, during an online press briefing.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the outbreak's epicenter, representing 90 percent of reported cases. The DRC has logged 20,463 suspected cases, along with 635 deaths.
Kaseya indicated that there is an "upward trend" in mpox cases across Africa, affecting at least 14 countries, especially since May 2024.
Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, who also joined the briefing, advocated for a coordinated effort to manage the outbreak in the DRC. She highlighted the significance of collaboration under the Africa CDC-WHO joint continental response plan.
"This is an important milestone for coordinated action between our agencies to support countries by strengthening expertise, mobilizing resources, and rapidly halting the spread of mpox," Moeti stated. "By working together, we can achieve more, ensuring that communities and individuals are protected from this virus."
In mid-August, the WHO classified the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa as a public health emergency of international concern, largely due to the rise of a more dangerous and less understood variant, clade 1b, which was first identified in the DRC in September 2023. Reports of this clade 1b strain have emerged from several nations, including Sweden and Thailand.
On Wednesday, Guinea confirmed its first mpox case, and Kaseya mentioned that genetic sequencing tests are currently in progress to ascertain if the clade 1b variant has made its way to West Africa.
The DRC recently received its initial shipment of 99,100 doses of mpox vaccine on Thursday and is now focusing on devising a distribution and vaccination plan, especially for the eastern regions where the majority of cases have been recorded amid ongoing humanitarian challenges. However, health authorities have yet to announce when the vaccination rollout will commence.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
This six-month plan, set to take place from September 2024 to February 2025, has a projected budget of nearly $600 million. Of this amount, 55 percent is designated for mpox response efforts in affected nations, while the remaining 45 percent is aimed at providing operational and technical support through various partner organizations.
Since the beginning of 2024, the continent has reported 24,851 suspected mpox cases, which include 5,549 confirmed cases and 643 deaths, according to Jean Kaseya, the director general of Africa CDC, during an online press briefing.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the outbreak's epicenter, representing 90 percent of reported cases. The DRC has logged 20,463 suspected cases, along with 635 deaths.
Kaseya indicated that there is an "upward trend" in mpox cases across Africa, affecting at least 14 countries, especially since May 2024.
Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, who also joined the briefing, advocated for a coordinated effort to manage the outbreak in the DRC. She highlighted the significance of collaboration under the Africa CDC-WHO joint continental response plan.
"This is an important milestone for coordinated action between our agencies to support countries by strengthening expertise, mobilizing resources, and rapidly halting the spread of mpox," Moeti stated. "By working together, we can achieve more, ensuring that communities and individuals are protected from this virus."
In mid-August, the WHO classified the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa as a public health emergency of international concern, largely due to the rise of a more dangerous and less understood variant, clade 1b, which was first identified in the DRC in September 2023. Reports of this clade 1b strain have emerged from several nations, including Sweden and Thailand.
On Wednesday, Guinea confirmed its first mpox case, and Kaseya mentioned that genetic sequencing tests are currently in progress to ascertain if the clade 1b variant has made its way to West Africa.
The DRC recently received its initial shipment of 99,100 doses of mpox vaccine on Thursday and is now focusing on devising a distribution and vaccination plan, especially for the eastern regions where the majority of cases have been recorded amid ongoing humanitarian challenges. However, health authorities have yet to announce when the vaccination rollout will commence.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
