Mpox deaths surge in Africa, CDC calls toll unacceptable
- African countries reported over 100 mpox-related deaths in the past week, with a total of 107 new fatalities and 3,160 new cases.
- The Africa CDC and WHO have launched a continental response plan, emphasizing the need for increased testing and resources.
- Vaccination efforts are in progress, but the continent requires significantly more doses to effectively combat the outbreak.
In the past week, African countries have reported a significant increase in mpox-related fatalities, with 107 new deaths and 3,160 new cases documented. This alarming rise prompted Dr. Jean Kaseya, the director-general of the Africa CDC, to label the situation as 'not acceptable.' The agency, alongside the WHO, recently initiated a continental response plan to combat the outbreak, which has been declared a global emergency affecting 12 African nations. The disease, which is related to smallpox, presents milder symptoms but can lead to severe cases with lesions. Testing has revealed a high positivity rate among men and children, indicating a pressing need for enhanced testing and resource allocation. Kaseya emphasized that the continent is not conducting sufficient testing, which hampers effective decision-making and response strategies. Vaccination efforts are underway, with 250,000 doses already delivered to Congo, the epicenter of the outbreak. However, this is only a small fraction of the 3 million doses required to effectively manage the situation. The EU has pledged additional doses, but the timeline for their delivery remains uncertain. Kaseya plans to receive the vaccine publicly to demonstrate its safety, highlighting the importance of vaccination in protecting the population. The Africa CDC has recorded a total of 5,731 confirmed cases and 724 deaths since the beginning of the year, underscoring the urgent need for a coordinated response to this health crisis.