Department of Security and Military Strategic Research and Studies01-11-2024

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the African Union’s public health authority, has issued an urgent warning regarding the escalating mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) outbreak across the continent. As infections surge in several regions, Africa CDC is appealing for heightened support and resources to curb the spread, warning that a failure to act now could lead to a public health crisis potentially more severe than the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a recent briefing, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo from Africa CDC highlighted that mpox is still on an “upward trend,” signaling that the outbreak is far from controlled. He emphasized the need for immediate intervention, noting that Africa has seen over 48,000 confirmed mpox cases since January alone, with more than 1,100 fatalities. The spread continues to intensify across multiple countries, stretching already overburdened healthcare systems across the continent.

Since January, 19 African nations have reported cases, with recent detections in popular tourist destinations like Mauritius, raising concerns about the virus’s potential to spread further. However, Africa CDC warns that resources to effectively manage the crisis are alarmingly insufficient. Dr. Ngongo emphasized that without “continuous political and financial mobilization,” the containment of mpox could slip further from reach, potentially transforming into a full-blown pandemic.

Virus Characteristics and Transmission

Mpox, a viral disease related to smallpox, primarily transmits from animals to humans but can also spread through close human-to-human contact. Symptoms include fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a blistering rash. The disease has two primary subtypes: clade 1 and clade 2, both causing illness but with potentially differing levels of severity.

While the virus is spreading in Africa, cases of new variants have also emerged in other parts of the world. On Wednesday, the United Kingdom reported its first case of mpox variant clade 1b, which has also been identified in countries like Sweden and Germany. This international spread highlights the importance of global cooperation and vigilance.

The outbreak has hit Central Africa particularly hard, accounting for 85.7 percent of cases and nearly all fatalities. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the most severely affected country, launched a vaccination campaign earlier this month to mitigate the impact of the outbreak. Despite these efforts, the DRC continues to face high mortality rates, underlining the urgent need for more resources and support from the international community.

The Call for a Coordinated Response

With mpox cases rising, Africa CDC stresses the critical importance of coordinated political and financial efforts to manage the outbreak. Failure to act decisively, Dr. Ngongo warns, could result in a health crisis that surpasses the challenges posed by COVID-19. Africa CDC’s call to action serves as a reminder of the urgent need for a global response to support Africa in controlling the spread of mpox and preventing further health disasters.