Have Mpox Cases in Africa Surpassed 190,000 with Deaths Approaching 2,000?

Addis Ababa, Sep 19 (NationPress) The total number of mpox cases documented in Africa since the beginning of 2024 has now exceeded 190,000, with fatalities approaching 2,000, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

During an online media briefing, Yap Boum II, the Deputy Incident Manager for mpox at the Africa CDC, reported that 29 African nations affected by mpox have recorded 191,559 cases since January 2024, which includes 53,013 confirmed cases and 1,999 deaths, as stated by the Xinhua News Agency.

Boum indicated that response strategies are yielding results, noting a steady decline in both confirmed and suspected cases in recent weeks compared to the peak in May. The weekly confirmed cases have plummeted by 70 percent, from 1,620 in May to 491 last week, alongside enhanced testing coverage, as reported by the Africa CDC.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the spread of mpox in Africa is no longer classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

However, the WHO cautioned that the cessation of the emergency declaration does not imply the end of the threat or that response efforts will cease, emphasizing that the Africa CDC has determined that mpox still constitutes a continental emergency.

The potential for ongoing flare-ups and new outbreaks persists, necessitating sufficient surveillance and response capabilities.

Continued efforts are essential to safeguard the most vulnerable populations, particularly young children and individuals living with HIV.

Mpox is categorized as a viral zoonotic disease.

Initial indicators of human infection can include fever, headache, muscle pain, back pain, and swollen lymph nodes, which may later escalate into extensive rashes on the face and body.

Most individuals infected recover within a few weeks; however, some may suffer severe illness or even fatal outcomes.

Since May 2022, more than 100 countries and regions globally have reported mpox cases.

In a related matter, the agency has called for enhanced community-based surveillance in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to manage the latest Ebola outbreak.

As of Thursday, the WHO reported that at least 31 individuals have succumbed to the recent Ebola outbreak in the DRC. Patrick Otim, an official from the WHO Regional Office for Africa, indicated during an online press briefing that 48 cases have been logged in the central province of Kasai, with 38 confirmed. Thirty-one patients have died, while 15 are receiving treatment at an Ebola center in the Bulape health zone, the outbreak's epicenter, and two have been discharged.

Boum highlighted the imperative to identify all suspected cases and transfer them to treatment facilities for isolation and suitable care. He remarked that the recent recovery of two Ebola patients is very positive and encouraging news for the ongoing response.

Ebola is known as a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever that presents various symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain, and malaise, often accompanied by internal and external bleeding, as per the WHO.