The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially declared Mpox (formerly monkeypox) a public health emergency.
The African agency reported an increase in the disease across the continent and warned that the virus could spread across international borders, The Associated Press reported.
More than 96% of all mpox cases and deaths have occurred in the Congo, although the disease has been detected in 13 African countries.
MPOX DECLARED PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IN AFRICA AS AUTHORITIES FIGHTED MULTIPLE VARIANTS
The Africa CDC confirmed that overall cases are up 160% and deaths are up 19% compared to last year, according to AP.
Besides, Swedish health authorities The first case of the highly contagious mpox has also just been announced. “In this case, a person became infected during a stay in an area of Africa where there is a major outbreak of [the more infectious mpox formerly known as monkeypox]”Sweden's Public Health Agency said on Thursday.
Unlike the 2022 epidemic, when MPOX typically spread through close (including sexual) contact between gay and bisexual men, patterns in Africa show that children under 15 years of age account for more than 70% of cases and 85% of deaths in the Congo.
Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an infectious disease expert at Emory University, told AP it's “not clear” why children are “disproportionately affected” in Congo right now.
She hypothesized that this could be due to children being more susceptible to the virus, crowding in social situations, or exposure to parents who have mpox.
A new strain
A new form of mpox that can kill up to 10 percent of people and spread more easily has also been detected in Congo, AP reported, raising concerns among scientists about transmission.
MPOX OUTBREAK SPREADING RAPIDLY IN CONGO COULD BE A NEW FORM OF THE DISEASE
That's because unlike traditional MPOX, which causes lesions on the chest, hands and feet, the new strain causes milder symptoms with lesions on the genitals, according to AP, making it harder to detect.
Earlier this month, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus considered declaring mpox a global emergency given rising numbers in Africa.
The WHO chief decided to meet with independent experts to reach a pending decision.
Meanwhile, the WHO announced the release of $1.45 million from its emergency fund to support the mpox response in Africa.
Congo is reportedly in communication with donors about vaccine donations and has received financial help from Britain and the United States, AP reported.
MONKEYPOX: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS AND HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
The UN health agency said there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths in 2024, already surpassing last year's figures.
In May 2023, the WHO declared mpox no longer an international emergency following the 2022 outbreak, as cases declined by 90% for three consecutive months.
WHO calls on experts to help decide whether MPOX outbreak in Africa is a global emergency
Public education and awareness about risk factors have also been key, he said.
What is mpox?
Those who contracted the disease two years ago suffered shocking symptoms.
MONKEYPOX: WHO SAYS IT IS NO LONGER A GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY
The virus is part of the same family that causes smallpox, but is not related to chickenpox, the CDC said.
Patients with Mpox often develop a rash that goes through several stages and can develop over one to three days, the agency said.
Symptoms may also include headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, fever, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, and chills.
Mpox is classified as a “zoonotic disease,” meaning it can be transmitted between animals and people and can be found in small rodents, monkeys and other mammals living in places where the virus is endemic.
To prevent the spread of mpox, CDC recommends avoiding close, skin-to-skin contact with people who appear to have an mpox rash or with animals that may be carriers.
The public should also be aware of preventive measures to avoid contracting the virus through sexual relations, social gatherings or contaminated materials.
People with severely weakened immune systems, children younger than 1 year old, people with a history of eczema, and pregnant people are at highest risk for severe illness, the CDC says.
A two-dose vaccine, called JYNNEOS, is available to protect against mpox and smallpox.
CDC recommends mpox vaccination if patients have been exposed to or suspected of having mpox, have had a sexual partner diagnosed with mpox in the past two weeks, are men who have sex with men, or are people in other high-risk related settings.
