Mpox Outbreak in Africa, South Africa’s CAPE TOWN (AP) — Over 1,000 new cases of mpox have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in less than a week, highlighting the disease’s growing threat in Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a worldwide emergency, and African health officials are desperately seeking vaccines to address the rising number of diseases.
The Growing Threat of Mpox in Africa
The main way that mpox, a virus that is similar to smallpox but has milder symptoms, spreads is by intimate skin-to-skin contact, which can happen during sexual activities. Fever, chills, and body aches are typical symptoms; in more extreme situations, lesions may form on the hands, chest, face, and genitalia.
Out of the 54 nations in Africa, 12 have reported cases of mpox during this current outbreak. Congo is the most severely afflicted nation; by 2024, it will be responsible for 94% of all cases on the continent. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reports that Congo has recorded 17,794 cases out of the 18,910 cases reported in Africa this year. Furthermore, the country reported 535 of the 541 mpox-related deaths that occurred throughout the continent.
Only approximately 20% of probable cases in the Congo are tested, thus these numbers are probably underreported. A number of impacted African nations lack sufficient testing and surveillance capabilities, as noted by Dr. Jean Kaseya, director-general of Africa CDC.
The Urgent Need for Vaccines and International Support
Mpox Outbreak in Africa, In the last seven days alone, Congo registered 1,030 of the 1,405 new cases reported in Africa. Even though testing have only verified 16% of these cases, they nonetheless fit the clinical criteria of mpox. The WHO has declared mpox a global health emergency due to a novel viral type that was discovered in Congo and is thought to be more easily transmissible.
This announcement has increased expectations that foreign donors will eventually intervene and supply funding and vaccines to help stop the outbreak in Africa before it spreads further. Notably, a case of the novel mpox variety that initially surfaced in eastern Congo was recently reported in Sweden, emphasizing the possibility of global transmission.
The WHO has made several pleas, but its attempts to raise money for mpox in Africa have mostly failed, with no sizable amount of funding coming in.
Current Vaccine Donations and the Need for More
Africa CDC announced that it has received a pledge for 215,000 mpox vaccines from the European Union and the vaccine manufacturer Bavarian Nordic, which are expected to arrive soon. Japan has also supplied extra doses of the vaccine, and the United States has donated 50,000 doses to Congo.
But the existing supply is well short of the demand. In order to control the outbreak and stop it from spreading to nearby nations, the Congolese health minister said that the nation requires at least 3 million pills.
A Plea for Worldwide Justice and Assistance
As a response to the 2022 mpox outbreak that affected over 70 countries, vaccines and treatments were widely accessible in wealthier nations. This provoked an instant worldwide reaction. However, Africa received little to no assistance despite the fact that the virus had been spreading throughout Nigeria and other African nations for years before to being discovered on a global scale.
President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, has denounced this unfair reaction and urged the international community to guarantee equitable access to mpox vaccines and diagnostics this time around. His remarks reaffirm the dissatisfaction felt during the COVID-19 epidemic, when Africa had to pay more for vaccines and was last in line for them.
It is advised that visitors to places impacted by the mpox should think about being vaccinated as the disease is still spreading. Obtaining mpox vaccines for African nations may become a top priority for world leaders as a result of this advice.
Preventing Travel Bans and Supporting Africa’s Response
The mpox is “growing and spreading” while nations wait for vaccinations, Dr. Kaseya underlined. In addition, he voiced alarm about the fact that illnesses in neighboring Burundi had doubled from 256 to 572 cases in just one week. Since mpox is not as infectious as COVID-19, Kaseya recommended against imposing travel restrictions on African nations and called for international cooperation.
His words were, “Don’t punish Africa.” “We need the proper kind of support. This immunization comes at a steep price.
As the continent battles this escalating health crisis, how the world responds will be crucial in deciding whether the outbreak can be contained and lives can be saved.
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