The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing mpox outbreaks in Congo and other African countries a global emergency. This declaration comes as cases of the virus have been confirmed in more than a dozen countries, affecting both children and adults. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that there are limited vaccine doses available on the continent, making it challenging to contain the spread of the virus.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced that the mpox outbreaks are a public health emergency, with over 500 deaths reported. The WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed concern over the potential for further spread of the virus within Africa and beyond. The Africa CDC has reported a significant increase in cases and deaths compared to the previous year, with over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths recorded so far.
Salim Abdool Karim, a South African infectious diseases expert, highlighted the risk posed by the new strain of mpox spreading from Congo, which has a death rate of about 3-4%. This new version of the virus has raised alarm among health experts due to its potential to cause more severe illness and higher mortality rates.
In 2022, WHO declared mpox a global emergency after it spread to more than 70 countries, primarily affecting gay and bisexual men. The previous outbreak had a lower mortality rate, with fewer than 1% of infected individuals succumbing to the virus. However, the current situation in Africa has prompted the need for urgent international support to contain the spread of the virus.
Michael Marks, a professor of medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, emphasized the importance of declaring the current mpox outbreaks in Africa an emergency to mobilize resources for containment efforts. He noted that it is a failure of the global community that the situation had to escalate to this extent before adequate support was provided.
Officials at the Africa CDC revealed that nearly 70% of mpox cases in Congo are in children under the age of 15, with children also accounting for 85% of deaths. The spread of the virus in refugee camps in the conflict-ridden eastern region of the country has raised concerns among experts. The fragile health system in Congo, already strained by other diseases like malnutrition, measles, and cholera, is struggling to cope with the additional burden of the mpox outbreaks.
The emergence of a new, deadlier form of mpox in East Africa has further complicated the situation. This new variant of the virus has milder symptoms and lesions on the genitals, making it harder to detect and control. Health authorities in countries like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda have reported cases linked to the outbreak in Congo, highlighting the interconnected nature of the epidemic in the region.
Despite the availability of vaccines and treatments in Western countries during the 2022 outbreak, very few of these resources have been accessible in Africa. The lack of adequate vaccine supplies in Africa has hindered efforts to contain the spread of the virus and protect vulnerable populations. Dr. Dimie Ogoina, a Nigerian mpox expert, emphasized the need for stronger surveillance and tracking of outbreaks to better understand how the virus is spreading in Africa.
The global response to previous WHO emergency declarations for mpox has been mixed, with limited progress in providing essential resources to affected regions. Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an infectious diseases expert, called for a decisive and coordinated effort from the international community to address the current crisis effectively. The declaration of a global emergency by WHO is intended to mobilize support and resources, but sustained action and collaboration will be crucial in combating the spread of mpox in Africa.
In conclusion, the mpox outbreaks in Africa represent a significant public health challenge that requires urgent attention and coordinated efforts from the global community. The current situation underscores the need for increased support for healthcare systems in Africa, including access to vaccines, treatments, and surveillance tools to effectively control the spread of the virus. Addressing the mpox outbreaks in Africa will require a comprehensive and sustained response to protect vulnerable populations and prevent further escalation of the crisis.
