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The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the mpox outbreaks in Congo and other parts of Africa as a global emergency on Wednesday.
The outbreaks, which have affected both children and adults in over a dozen countries, involve a new form of the virus. Vaccine availability on the continent remains extremely limited.
Earlier this week, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) also declared the mpox outbreaks a public health emergency, reporting more than 500 deaths and urging international assistance to contain the virus’s spread.
“This is something that should concern us all … The potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The Africa CDC previously reported that mpox, also known as monkeypox, has been detected in 13 countries this year, with over 96% of cases and deaths occurring in Congo. Cases have increased by 160%, and deaths have risen by 19% compared to the same period last year. So far, more than 14,000 cases have been reported, resulting in 524 deaths.
In 2022, WHO declared mpox a global emergency after it spread to over 70 countries that had not previously reported the virus, primarily affecting gay and bisexual men. In that outbreak, fewer than 1% of those infected died.
Which countries are affected?
- Burundi: 225 cases
- Cameroon: 35 cases (2 deaths)
- Central African Republic: 258 cases
- Congo: 169 cases (1 death)
- Cote d’Ivoire: 2 cases
- Democratic Republic of Congo: 16 789 cases (511 deaths)
- Ghana: 4 cases
- Liberia: 5 cases
- Kenya: 1 case
- Nigeria: 24 cases
- Rwanda: 2 cases
- South Africa: 24 cases (3 deaths)
- Uganda: 2 cases
