In Africa, the number of Mpox cases is increasing daily. However, in countries particularly badly affected, there is currently no strategy to combat it.
Kinshasa – Mpox is currently spreading rapidly in Africa. This year alone, more than 29,000 cases and 738 deaths have been recorded on the continent. Data from the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the number of Mpox cases in Africa has increased by 177 percent compared to the same period last year, and the number of deaths has increased by 38.5 percent. So far, 15 of the 55 countries in Africa have reported cases of the disease.
International health emergency: “Mpox not under control in Africa”
In his weekly briefing, CDC Director Jean Kaseya said that nearly 3,000 new suspected cases of Mpox were reported in Africa in one week, 374 of which were confirmed, and 14 more deaths related to the disease were recorded.
“We can say today that Mpox is not under control in Africa,” Kaseya said. The increase in cases is worrying. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Mpox outbreaks a public health emergency of international concern in mid-August. The reason for this was also a new, possibly more dangerous variant of the virus infection.
Mpox in Africa: Lack of vaccination campaign in severely affected countries
Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo are currently the countries most severely affected by the Mpox outbreak. One of the reasons for this is the poor infrastructure. Many places are difficult to reach by road and the cold chain for vaccines cannot be guaranteed, especially in rural areas. The monitoring and testing systems are also not sufficiently developed.
According to Kaseya, only Rwanda has started its vaccination campaign so far. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the vaccination campaign is not scheduled to start until early October.
Mpox transmission occurs through close physical contact
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease that can cause painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle and back pain. There are currently two different types of the virus: Clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and Clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb). A global outbreak of Clade IIb began in 2022 and continues to this day.
The virus infection is usually transmitted through close physical contact. In Germany, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) mainly reports cases that were transmitted through sexual activity. Men who have sexual contact with other men are particularly affected. In Germany, women, Children and adolescents account for less than one percent of cases. Mpox disease usually heals on its own. In severe cases, however, the disease can be fatal. (jus)
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