Global Alert: WHO Declares Mpox Outbreaks in Africa a Health Emergency!

Mpox Outbreaks in Africa: The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarms by declaring the ongoing mpox outbreaks in Africa, particularly in Congo, as a global health emergency. The virus, formerly known as monkeypox, is spreading rapidly across the continent, with cases confirmed in over a dozen countries. Unfortunately, the situation is compounded by the limited availability of vaccines in Africa.

Africa’s Mpox Crisis: A Growing Concern

Earlier this week, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) categorized the Mpox Outbreaks in Africa as a public health emergency. With more than 500 deaths reported, the Africa CDC has urgently called for international assistance to curb the virus’s spread.

According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the potential for Mpox Outbreaks in Africa to spread beyond Africa is deeply concerning. “This should concern us all,” Tedros emphasized, highlighting the severe risk of global spread.

Mpox Outbreaks in Africa: Shocking Statistics

The Africa CDC reports that mpox has been detected in 13 African countries this year. Notably, over 96% of all cases and deaths have been recorded in Congo. Compared to the same period last year, cases have surged by 160%, while deaths have risen by 19%. In total, more than 14,000 cases have been reported, with 524 deaths.

Salim Abdool Karim, a South African infectious diseases expert and chair of the Africa CDC emergency group, warned that the new strain of mpox emerging from Congo has a mortality rate of 3-4%. This is significantly higher than the global mpox outbreak in 2022, which affected over 70 countries and had a fatality rate of less than 1%.

Global Health Experts Urge for Immediate Action

Michael Marks, a professor of medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, believes that declaring the mpox outbreaks in Africa as an emergency is necessary. He argues that this declaration could prompt much-needed support to contain the virus. “It’s a failure of the global community that things had to get this bad to release the resources needed,” Marks said.

The Africa CDC’s data shows that nearly 70% of mpox cases in Congo are in children under 15, who also account for 85% of the deaths. This alarming trend underscores the vulnerability of young people to the virus.

Congo’s Health Crisis: A Dire Situation

In Congo’s eastern region, which is already ravaged by conflict, the situation is particularly dire. Jacques Alonda, an epidemiologist working with international charities, described a tragic case of a six-week-old baby who contracted mpox at just two weeks old. The baby and his mother were forced to share a hospital room with an undiagnosed patient due to overcrowding, leading to the infection. “He has been in our care for a month,” Alonda said.

Save the Children, an international charity had pointed out that Congo’s health system was already overwhelmed by other crises, including malnutrition, measles, and cholera, even before the pox outbreak intensified.

Mpox Outbreaks Spread to East Africa

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained that multiple mpox outbreaks are occurring in different countries, each presenting varying risk levels and transmission modes.

Recently, mpox was detected for the first time in four East African countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. All of these outbreaks are linked to the one in Congo. Additionally, a different and less dangerous strain of mpox has been reported in Ivory Coast and South Africa, similar to the one that spread globally in 2022.

New Mpox Variant: A More Lethal Strain

Earlier this year, scientists identified a new, more lethal form of mpox in a Congolese mining town. This variant, with a mortality rate of up to 10%, has raised concerns about its potential to spread more quickly. Mpox primarily spreads through close contact with infected individuals, including sexual contact.

Unlike previous outbreaks, where lesions were mostly visible on the chest, hands, and feet, this new variant presents milder symptoms and lesions on the genitals. This makes the virus harder to detect, potentially allowing it to spread more easily and undetected.

The 2022 Global Mpox Outbreak

During the 2022 global mpox outbreak, WHO declared a global emergency after the virus spread to over 70 countries, most of which had not previously reported cases. This outbreak predominantly affected gay and bisexual men. Before 2022, Mpox Outbreaks in Africa was mainly confined to sporadic Central and West Africa outbreaks, typically resulting from close contact with infected wild animals.

Western countries managed to contain the spread of Mpox Outbreaks in Africa with the help of vaccines and treatments, but these resources are scarce in Africa. Marks suggested that, in the absence of Mpox Outbreaks in Africa vaccines licensed in the West, officials might consider using smallpox vaccines, as the two diseases are related. “We need a large supply of vaccine so that we can vaccinate populations most at risk,” Marks said, noting that this should include sex workers, children, and adults living in outbreak regions.

Vaccine Shortage in Congo

Congolese authorities have requested 4 million doses of mpox vaccine, according to Cris Kacita Osako, coordinator of Congo’s Monkeypox Response Committee. These vaccines would primarily be used for children under 18. Osako mentioned that the United States and Japan have shown interest in providing vaccines to Congo.

A Call to Action: The Global Response

Although WHO’s emergency declaration aims to spur international support, the global response to previous emergency designations has been mixed. Dr Boghuma Titanji, an infectious diseases expert at Emory University, expressed scepticism, noting that the last WHO emergency declaration for  Mpox Outbreaks in Africa had little impact on getting crucial resources like diagnostic tests, medicines, and vaccines to Africa.

“The world has a real opportunity here to act decisively and avoid repeating past mistakes,” Titanji said. However, she cautioned that achieving this would require more than an emergency declaration.

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