In a report released Wednesday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that mpox, also known as monkeypox, has been detected in 10 African countries this year, with Congo accounting for over 96% of all cases and deaths.
Officials stated that almost 70% of mpox cases in Congo are among children under 15, who also constitute 85% of the fatalities.
This year, an estimated 14,250 mpox cases have been reported, almost matching last year’s total. The Africa CDC noted a 160% increase in cases and a 19% rise in deaths, totaling 456, compared to the first seven months of 2023.
This week, Burundi and Rwanda reported their first cases of the virus, while fresh outbreaks emerged in Kenya and the Central African Republic, including in its densely occupied capital, Bangui.
Central African Republic’s public health minister, Pierre Somsé, expressed deep concern on Monday about the severe monkeypox outbreak affecting the capital region.
Kenya’s Health Ministry reported on Wednesday that mpox was detected in a traveler moving from Uganda to Rwanda, leading to an outbreak declaration based on this single case.
The Africa CDC noted that the mpox death rate in Africa this year is around 3%, significantly higher than the global rate of under 1% during the 2022 global emergency.
A new, more lethal strain of mpox was identified earlier this year in a mining town in Congo, with a mortality rate of up to 10%. Scientists worry this variant could spread more readily through close contact and s3xual activity.
Estimation of patients hospitalized in eastern Congo from October to January revealed that recent genetic mutations in the virus are linked to its continuous spread.
In contrast to earlier outbreaks that primarily affected the chest, hands, and feet, this new strain generally results in milder symptoms and lesions predominantly on the genitals, making it more difficult to identify.
Doctors Without Borders described the growing mpox outbreak as “concerning”, highlighting its spread to displaced persons camps in Congo’s North Kivu region, near the Rwandan border.
Dr. Louis Massing, the charity’s medical director for Congo, warned of a significant risk due to high population mobility.
While mpox outbreaks in Western countries have largely been controlled with vaccines and treatments, these resources have been scarce in African countries, including Congo.
“We can only urge for vaccines to be delivered to the country as soon as possible so we can protect the populations in the most affected areas,” Massing asserted.
The WHO noted in May that no donor funds had been allocated for mpox containment despite the ongoing outbreak in Africa and the risk of international spread.
This week, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations declared it would begin a study next month in Congo and other African countries to assess whether administering an mpox vaccine after exposure could deter brutal ailment and casualty.