Mpox outbreak surges across Africa

The mpox outbreak continues to surge across Africa with cases now reaching nearly at least 19,000 in the past one week.

Cases were first reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but now several African countries including, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Kenya Burundi, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Rwanda have reported case.

The Africa CDC and the WHO have declared the current mpox outbreak a continental and global health emergency, respectively.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa is holding a five-day meeting in Congo starting Monday to discuss continental response to the crisis.

The virus can cause lesions across the whole body. It can spread through close contact. Usually mild, it is fatal in rare cases. It causes flu-like symptoms.

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Over 13,700 cases and 450 deaths have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the start of the year.

This week’s meeting by the WHO will have Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus and regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti alongside 47 health ministers from Africa.

Health emergency preparedness, funding and support for African countries and universal health coverage progress are on the agenda of the meeting.

The WHO says it has released about $1.5m from a contingency fund for mpox response and would be allocating more.

But the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is appealing for more funding and a unified response to the current outbreak.

According to Tedros, the global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan requires an initial $135m.

But vaccines to help curb the escalation in spread are yet to reach affected countries. The epicentre of the outbreak, DR Congo is preparing to begin vaccinations this week if doses arrive.

African countries have now heightened their surveillance and containment measures.

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Source: Africafeeds.com