Health Reporter
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has issued a stark warning regarding the ongoing Mpox outbreak, stating that it is still not under control and is on an upward trend.
As of now, more than 1,100 deaths have been reported across Africa, with approximately 48,000 cases recorded since January 2024.
“The situation is not yet under control, we are still on the upward trend generally,” Ngashi Ngongo from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) told a briefing.
Appeal for Resources
Africa CDC officials, including Ngashi Ngongo, have emphasized the urgent need for political and financial mobilization to combat the outbreak effectively. They caution that without adequate resources, the situation could escalate into a pandemic that may be “much more severe than COVID-19”.
“What we need is the continuous political and financial mobilisation,” Ngongo said, adding that this was a necessary measure to stop mpox from being another pandemic “which would be much more severe than COVID-19”.
Geographic Impact
Currently, 19 African countries have reported cases of Mpox, with Central Africa being the most affected region, accounting for 85.7% of cases and 99.5% of deaths on the continent. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been particularly hard hit and has recently initiated a vaccination campaign to curb the spread.
Nature of the Disease
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is caused by a virus that can be transmitted from infected animals to humans and can also spread between humans through close contact. Symptoms include fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that develops into blisters. The disease has two main subtypes: clade 1 and clade 2.
Recent Developments
The outbreak has also reached countries outside Africa, with the United Kingdom recently reporting its first case of the latest variant, clade 1b, which has also been detected in Sweden and Germany.
Conclusion
The Africa CDC’s warning highlights the critical need for increased resources and coordinated efforts to manage the Mpox outbreak effectively. As the situation evolves, the focus remains on preventing a potential pandemic that could have severe implications for public health across the continent.
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