Emerging as a significant threat in Africa, the current Mpox outbreak has been labeled a public health emergency by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention due to the presence of a highly contagious new strain.
For the first time, the deadly disease prompted the declaration of a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security.
Experts from the World Health Organization are convening to consider escalating the situation to a global Public Health Emergency.
This would mark the second occasion of Mpox being classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern since its global spread in 2022.
The outbreak, originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo and now traversing borders to other African countries, is fueled by a novel strain of the virus, causing heightened concern among health professionals.
Here is a breakdown of what you need to be aware of.
– Understanding Mpox –
Initially discovered in humans in the DRC in 1970, Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, comprises two subtypes: clade I and clade II.
While the more dangerous clade I has been entrenched in the Congo Basin for many years, the milder clade II has been prevalent in various regions of West Africa.
Historically, outbreaks mostly stemmed from individuals contracting the virus from infected animals like rodents, often through practices like consuming bushmeat.
Symptoms typically include fever, muscle pain, and sizable skin lesions resembling boils.
– Global Impact of the Outbreak –
The virus gained global attention in May 2022 when a less severe strain, clade IIb, became widespread, particularly affecting gay and bisexual men.
A Public Health Emergency of International Concern was declared by the WHO in July 2022 and extended until May 2023.
Between January 2022 and June 2024, the WHO reported 208 fatalities and over 99,000 Mpox cases in 116 countries worldwide.
– Arrival of the New Strain –
In contrast to the global outbreak of 2022, the recent surge is driven by the more lethal clade I and its newly mutated variant, clade Ib.
Clade Ib, identified first among sex workers in Kamituga, DRC’s South Kivu province in September 2023, is distinct in its transmission patterns, including sexual spread among heterosexuals.
Reportedly, the virus has also propagated through non-sexual interactions, such as schoolchildren playing together.
Clade Ib results in approximately 3.6% mortality, with heightened risks for infants and children, causing more severe illness compared to clade II.
Nearly all provinces in the DRC are now impacted by either clade I or clade Ib, as stated by researcher Jean Udahemuka from the University of Rwanda.
Udahemuka has described clade Ib as the most perilous Mpox strain identified thus far.
– Affected Regions –
The first half of the current year witnessed a surge in Mpox cases, surpassing the total recorded in 2023 according to WHO data.
Between January 2022 and August 4, Africa reported 38,465 Mpox cases and 1,456 fatalities, with the majority occurring in the DRC.
Recent cases have emerged in countries like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, signaling the spread of Mpox to new territories.
Clade Ib has been detected in all four nations, albeit without reported fatalities, per WHO updates.
– Vaccination Efforts –
During the 2022 global outbreak, swift vaccine deployments in wealthier regions like Europe and North America played a crucial role in controlling the spread.
However, accessibility to these vaccines in African nations hit hardest by Mpox has been limited.
In response, the Africa CDC, in collaboration with the European Union and pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, announced plans to supply and distribute 200,000 doses of Mpox vaccine across Africa.
While acknowledging the insufficiency of the initial vaccine supply, Africa CDC head Jean Kaseya revealed intentions to secure an additional 10 million doses for the continent, stressing the importance of timely support to prevent high case numbers.
AFP