The evolution of the mpox epidemic in Central African countries has begun to give the first hopeful signs since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared last August. “While mpox remains a global threat, in Africa we are beginning to see positive signs that response efforts are bearing fruit,” summarized this morning Matshidiso Moeti, director of the organization’s regional office on the continent.
The announcement comes after being held on the 22nd. So far, according to available data, almost 15,000 people have been diagnosed with the disease in twenty African countries and 55 deaths have occurred, although the weak health systems in the area cause that these figures are below the real ones, according to all the experts.
The WHO highlights that progress has been possible because “many countries have strengthened surveillance, case detection (including at points of entry during travel), infection prevention (including through vaccination) and the provision of care.” and support for affected people.” The joint results of “all these efforts have contributed to stopping the spread of the virus,” Moeti congratulates.
Four countries – including Gabon, Guinea and South Africa – have not reported active outbreaks of mpox, formerly called monkeypox, for at least six consecutive weeks since last October, which has allowed them to enter the so-called “phase of control” (activated when there have been no new cases reported in the previous 42 days). Ghana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, for their part, also entered this situation on November 25.
of which the virus that causes human smallpox is also a part (the latter was eradicated almost half a century ago). The most common symptoms are a skin rash and mucosal lesions that can last two to four weeks and are accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, lack of energy and swollen lymph nodes. In severe cases, the disease can be fatal. The route of infection is through close skin-to-skin contact with the rash and scabs of an infected person.
after the virus that causes the disease spread virtually throughout the world. Nine months later, however, the agency, which despite everything then had 87,000 diagnoses and more than a hundred deaths.
This first global outbreak was caused by a form of the virus that still circulates in much of the globe and that has been considered less virulent than the one currently plaguing Africa, although this is an issue still subject to scientific debate. Subsequently, the Democratic Republic of the Congo recorded an increase in cases since last year caused by clade 1b of the pathogen, which is the one that spread across the continent and is the subject of the current emergency declaration, still in force.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo remains by far the country most affected by the epidemic. Mpox has spread to more than 80% of the health zones (424 of 519) in the country and currently South Kivu, Tshuapa and Sankuru bear the greatest burden of the disease. The fight against it continues to be hampered by the weaknesses of the State and material deficiencies, which reduces diagnostic capacity and imposes notable logistical limitations. For example, only 37% of samples taken from patients could be analyzed in the three weeks from the end of October to the first half of November, leaving some provinces underrepresented in the surveillance data and undermining the response.
“We must continue our efforts in all key areas of response to the outbreak and strengthen our efforts where necessary,” highlighted Moeti, who, despite highlighting the progress achieved so far, has insisted that the situation “is not yet clear.” safe”.
Vaccination campaigns are currently being carried out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and Rwanda, and immunization plans in other countries are also in various stages of preparation. Thanks to the Access and Allocation Mechanism (AAM), some 900,000 doses of vaccine have been sent to the nine most affected countries in the area. These are the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
The latest available data shows that, as of November 27, 2024, 12 countries still had active transmission of the virus. Eight of them – the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Uganda and Kenya – have “extremely worrying” outbreaks. 96% of cases are diagnosed in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
“Global and regional solidarity is key. More resources and support are critical, especially for communities and countries that are bearing the brunt of the mpox outbreak in Africa. Only then can we consolidate the achievements and address the remaining challenges, whether around surveillance or access to mpox vaccines,” Moeti concluded.
As of November 27, 2024, a total of 14,669 laboratory-confirmed cases and 55 deaths have been recorded in Africa. In addition, clade 1b cases have been identified in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, the United States, Thailand and India, all of them with epidemiological links to the affected countries, which according to the WHO “highlights the urgent need to address this outbreak in its epicenter to prevent further global spread.”
