DRC declares Mpox outbreak a "continental emergency," with 570 deaths reported
Since the start of this year, the DRC has recorded 16,700 confirmed or suspected cases of mpox, along with over 570 fatalities. This marks an increase from the 15,664 suspected cases and 548 deaths reported the previous week.
TroibNews 
The ongoing mpox outbreak has been characterized as a "continental emergency" by Roger Kamba, the health minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), during a statement made on Monday.
Kamba indicated that since the start of this year, the DRC has recorded 16,700 confirmed or suspected cases of mpox, resulting in more than 570 deaths. This reflects an increase from the previous tally of 15,664 suspected cases and 548 deaths reported just a week prior.
In December 2022, the DRC announced a national outbreak of mpox, which led to the implementation of an incident management system in February 2023, attributed to the surge in cases.
The disease has impacted 17 African nations and several others beyond the continent, notably affecting younger demographics, particularly children under 15. Kamba noted this trend as a "novelty" within the context of the outbreak.
"But I remind you that the vaccine is only part of the response; the first line of defense is adherence to preventive measures," the minister stated, adding that the country is set to receive a shipment of mpox vaccines next week.
Kamba also highlighted that the government's actions have been effective in preventing a more extensive spread within the nation.
Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox, previously known as monkeypox, a public health emergency of international concern, raising alarms about its potential for increased global transmission following an initial declaration on July 23, 2022.
The WHO's announcement followed an estimate from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which indicated that the current mpox outbreak represents a public health emergency for the continent.
The African Union’s health agency reported a staggering 160-percent increase in new mpox cases for the early part of 2024 compared to the same timeframe in 2023.
The WHO has stated that the current outbreak, which is emanating from the DRC, has been worsened by the emergence of a new, more lethal variant of the virus, clade 1b, with a mortality rate estimated at 3.6 percent, significantly surpassing earlier strains.
In terms of vaccines, Kamba announced on Monday that the DRC expects to receive its initial doses of an mpox vaccine by the following week.
"Their arrival would help to address a huge inequity that left African countries with no access to the two shots used in a 2022 global mpox outbreak, while the vaccines were widely available in Europe and the United States," Kamba remarked.
Masano Tsuzuki, the section chief of DRC's division of infectious disease prevention and control, mentioned that the ministry "intends to provide as much support as possible."
Gavi, a global vaccine coalition, stated last week that it has up to $500 million available for procurement of vaccines for countries affected by the rising mpox outbreak in Africa. "Gavi has offered to make the vaccines available and we agreed," Kamba confirmed.
Mpox is a viral infection characterized by pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms, typically presenting mild illness but potentially turning fatal. Two strains are circulating in the DRC: the endemic form, clade 1, and the newer clade 1b variant.
Transmission occurs through close physical contact, including sexual activity, but unlike some previous pandemics, such as COVID-19, there is no evidence suggesting it spreads easily through the air.
(With input from agencies)
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
Kamba indicated that since the start of this year, the DRC has recorded 16,700 confirmed or suspected cases of mpox, resulting in more than 570 deaths. This reflects an increase from the previous tally of 15,664 suspected cases and 548 deaths reported just a week prior.
In December 2022, the DRC announced a national outbreak of mpox, which led to the implementation of an incident management system in February 2023, attributed to the surge in cases.
The disease has impacted 17 African nations and several others beyond the continent, notably affecting younger demographics, particularly children under 15. Kamba noted this trend as a "novelty" within the context of the outbreak.
"But I remind you that the vaccine is only part of the response; the first line of defense is adherence to preventive measures," the minister stated, adding that the country is set to receive a shipment of mpox vaccines next week.
Kamba also highlighted that the government's actions have been effective in preventing a more extensive spread within the nation.
Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox, previously known as monkeypox, a public health emergency of international concern, raising alarms about its potential for increased global transmission following an initial declaration on July 23, 2022.
The WHO's announcement followed an estimate from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which indicated that the current mpox outbreak represents a public health emergency for the continent.
The African Union’s health agency reported a staggering 160-percent increase in new mpox cases for the early part of 2024 compared to the same timeframe in 2023.
The WHO has stated that the current outbreak, which is emanating from the DRC, has been worsened by the emergence of a new, more lethal variant of the virus, clade 1b, with a mortality rate estimated at 3.6 percent, significantly surpassing earlier strains.
In terms of vaccines, Kamba announced on Monday that the DRC expects to receive its initial doses of an mpox vaccine by the following week.
"Their arrival would help to address a huge inequity that left African countries with no access to the two shots used in a 2022 global mpox outbreak, while the vaccines were widely available in Europe and the United States," Kamba remarked.
Masano Tsuzuki, the section chief of DRC's division of infectious disease prevention and control, mentioned that the ministry "intends to provide as much support as possible."
Gavi, a global vaccine coalition, stated last week that it has up to $500 million available for procurement of vaccines for countries affected by the rising mpox outbreak in Africa. "Gavi has offered to make the vaccines available and we agreed," Kamba confirmed.
Mpox is a viral infection characterized by pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms, typically presenting mild illness but potentially turning fatal. Two strains are circulating in the DRC: the endemic form, clade 1, and the newer clade 1b variant.
Transmission occurs through close physical contact, including sexual activity, but unlike some previous pandemics, such as COVID-19, there is no evidence suggesting it spreads easily through the air.
(With input from agencies)
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
