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Rabat – The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has declared mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, a “public health emergency of continental security.” This urgent measure comes in response to a severe outbreak that has spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to neighboring countries.
Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, made the announcement during an online media briefing to highlight the alarming escalation of the disease. “With a heavy heart but with an unyielding commitment to our people, we declare mpox as a public health emergency of continental security,” Kaseya stated.
He emphasized the crisis’s severity, noting that the outbreak has caused significant suffering across the continent and affected thousands of families.
The Africa CDC reported over 15,000 mpox cases and 461 deaths so far this year, marking a staggering 160% increase compared to the same period last year. This surge in cases is attributed to the spread of a new variant, “Clade Ib,” which is more transmissible, particularly among children.
Mpox, which is transmitted through close contact and presents flu-like symptoms along with pus-filled lesions, has historically been endemic in parts of Africa since it was first detected in humans in the DRC in 1970.
A global outbreak in 2022 led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare it a public health emergency of international concern. However, that emergency was lifted ten months later as the situation came under control.
Africa CDC called for proactive and aggressive measures to contain and ultimately eliminate the threat posed by the infection.
The declaration aims to mobilize resources and coordinate efforts to address the crisis and prevent further spread of the outbreak.
