The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has raised an alarm regarding the high risk of monkeypox spreading to neighboring countries and globally.
On August 13, 2024, Africa CDC made this announcement in a statement issued on its official website after the declaration of mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS).
The Africa CDC identified several factors contributing to the potential spread of mpox, including cross-border movements, low public awareness, and high vulnerability in populations affected by conditions such as HIV and malnutrition.
Additionally, there is a limited understanding of mpox transmission and inadequate response capacities, including vaccine shortages, which pose significant challenges to containment efforts.
Since 2022, the continent has reported a total of 40,874 cases and 1,512 deaths across 15 African Union member states. In 2024 alone, there have been 17,541 cases and 517 deaths reported from 13 member states.
These statistics indicate a 160% increase in cases and a 19% rise in deaths compared to the same period in 2023.
The outbreak's dynamics are particularly concerning, with investigations in the DRC suggesting that heterosexual transmission, especially among female sex workers, is driving the current outbreak.
The situation raises alarms about vertical transmission risks and adverse pregnancy outcomes, especially given the high prevalence of severe infections among individuals living with HIV and the significant number of cases among children under 15 years old.
In response to the escalating crisis, a meeting of the Emergency Consultative Group was convened just prior to the PHECS declaration to advise the Africa CDC Director General, Dr. Jean Kaseya, on the outbreak's severity.
The group established specific criteria for assessing health emergencies, focusing on disease severity, transmission dynamics, public health risks, and the impact on health systems.
