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The African continent is poised to declare a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security as the Mpox (Monkeypox) outbreak continues to spread across many countries.
Director General of the Africa Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Jean Kaseya, stated this during a webinar on the Mpox outbreak situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African countries.
Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, similar to smallpox but generally less severe, characterized by symptoms such as fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.
The disease can spread from animals to humans and between humans through close contact, respiratory droplets, and contaminated objects.
The World Health Organisation and other health bodies have renamed monkeypox to "pox" in 2022 to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with the original name.
Kaseya highlighted the urgent need for a coordinated response to contain the disease.
"Monkeypox is the reality, and Africans are dying. We are taking decisive actions to protect our people. Next week, more likely, we will declare the Public Health Emergency of Continental Significance.
This move is expected to mobilise resources, streamline cross-border responses, and fortify the continent's health systems against the outbreak. Engaging the continent's youths in the fight against the outbreak is vital to harnessing their energy and innovation in combating the spread of the virus.
This will help us to have an appropriate response, to help stop this outbreak, and also reinforce the health system in Africa.
The Africa CDC has been at the forefront of monitoring and responding to the Monkeypox outbreak, which has caused significant concern due to its rapid spread and the rising number of fatalities.
Public health officials have warned that without urgent action, the situation could worsen, putting even more lives at risk."
According to Kaseya, the disease has spread through cross-border transmission, sexual contact, and co-morbidities, particularly in regions with vulnerable populations such as those with malnutrition or HIV.
“The outbreak has reached new countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Uganda, marking their first-ever reported cases,” he said.
Speaking on case study from the affected countries, Kaseya said that the Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Health declared its first Mpox outbreak, involving a 46-year-old agricultural worker.
He said that a 20-year-old student was also discovered to have contracted the disease, adding that both of them are from Abidjan.
“The mode of exposure remains unclear, and the circulating clade is yet to be identified.
“in Kenya, a 42-year-old long-distance truck driver was identified as the first Mpox case at the Taita Taveta point of entry on the Kenya-Tanzania border.
“in Uganda, two female cases were reported in the Kasese district, both imported from the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he said.
Kaseya said that Mpox posed a high risk due to its 3.2 per cent case fatality rate, with children under 15 being the most affected, demographically.
NAN recalls that on July 17, the African Union’s Executive Council approved a statute allowing the Africa CDC to make independent public health decisions.
This move followed WHO’s July 23, 2022, declaration of monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, despite Africa dealing with the disease since the 1970s.
NAN
