Africa CDC Declares Monkeypox a Public Health Emergency

The Africa Center for Disease Control(CDC) has officially declared Mpox also known as Monkeypox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS).

This declaration follows after the rapid spread of the infection from its epidemic region, The Democratic Republic of Congo, to other countries in the continent.

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Countries which has reported cases this year include; Rwanda , Kenya, Nigeria, Mozambique, Ghana, Cameroon, Liberia, Egypt, Morocco and South Africa who have recently confirmed death of the second person infected with Mpox.

The World Health Organisation had declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency in May 2022 over its outbreak. Since then,notable cases have been reported followed by deaths

So far in 2024, these countries have confirmed 2,863 cases and 517 deaths, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Suspected cases across the continent have surged past 17,000, a significant increase from 7,146 cases in 2022 and 14,957 cases in 2023.

Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya , speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, in Addis Ababa, emphasised the severity of the situation.

“We are meeting today because of the emergence and rapid spread of Mpox. This is not just another challenge; it is a crisis that demands our collective action, a moment that calls upon the very essence of our humanity, our unity, and our strength”. noted Dr Kaseya.

The declaration will enable resources to be mobilised across affected countries, unlocking essential funding, strengthening Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), strengthening surveillance and laboratory testing efforts, and enhancing human capacities to respond effectively to Mpox.

Transmission

Mpox is a zoonosis, a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans, with cases often found close to tropical rainforests where there are animals that carry the virus.

Evidence of monkeypox virus infection has been found in animals like squirrels, Gambian pouched rats, dormice, different species of monkeys and others.

The disease is caused by a virus infection known as monkeypox virus. There are two types of this virus, clade I which is endemic to Central Africa and clade II caused by the global outbreak since 2022, endemic to West Africa.

Common symptoms of Mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last 2–4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.

Mpox can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with someone who is infectious, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals

Treatment

Treatment of Mpox involves taking care of the rash, to manage pain and prevent complications. Early and supportive care is important to help manage symptoms and avoid further problems.

Getting an Mpox vaccine can help prevent infection. The vaccine should be given within 4 days of contact with someone who has Mpox (or within up to 14 days if there are no symptoms).

To address the Mpox outbreak in Africa, Africa CDC has set up a 25-member Incident Management Team based at the epicenter of the Mpox epidemic with a mandate to support affected and at-risk countries.

Africa CDC has also signed a partnership agreement with the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) and Bavarian Nordic to provide over 215,000 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine—the only FDA and EMA-approved Mpox vaccine.