The African Union’s health authority has raised urgent alarms regarding the ongoing mpox outbreak, indicating that it remains uncontained and urging for additional resources to prevent a potential pandemic even more severe than Covid-19. Since January, Africa has recorded approximately 48,000 mpox cases, resulting in over 1,100 fatalities, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
As several nations grapple with rising case numbers, the continent faces the daunting challenge of managing another major health crisis following the revelations of its fragile health infrastructure during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ngashi Ngongo, chief of staff at Africa CDC, stated, “The situation is not yet under control. We are still on the upward trend generally,” during an online briefing.
Currently, 19 countries have reported mpox infections, with Mauritius recently confirming cases that have raised concerns for the island nation, known for its picturesque beaches and vibrant tourism sector. The outbreak has been particularly alarming in Uganda, which just reported its first death linked to the virus.
Despite the escalating crisis, the Africa CDC warns that funding to combat the outbreak is severely lacking. Ngongo emphasized the critical need for “continuous political and financial mobilization,” stressing that without this support, mpox risks evolving into a pandemic that could be even more devastating than Covid-19.
Mpox, previously referred to as monkeypox, is a viral illness that primarily spreads from infected animals to humans but can also be transmitted between people through close physical contact. The disease, related to smallpox, manifests symptoms such as fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that develops into blisters. There are two main subtypes of the virus, known as clade 1 and clade 2.
In a concerning development, the United Kingdom announced its first case of the new mpox variant, clade 1b, this week. The majority of deaths attributed to mpox have occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has been the epicenter of the outbreak and recently initiated a vaccination campaign to curb the spread of the virus.
