Congo faces rising mpox cases as vaccination campaign begins

Congo is currently facing a severe outbreak of mpox, with over 22,000 confirmed cases and more than 716 deaths reported this year. The World Health Organization has declared it a public health emergency, prompting urgent action from health officials. Recently, 50,000 doses of the mpox vaccine were donated by the U.S., adding to 200,000 doses from the European Union. However, this is still far below the 3.5 million doses needed to effectively combat the outbreak. The Africa CDC is actively seeking additional funding, requesting $599 million from the U.S. to bolster the continental response. The newly arrived vaccines are effective against the older clade 2 variant, but their efficacy against the more lethal clade 1 strain remains uncertain. Health officials are particularly concerned as over 70% of cases are in children, with four out of five deaths occurring in minors, highlighting the vulnerability of this demographic. The situation is exacerbated by a humanitarian crisis, with around 7 million people displaced and over 25 million in need of assistance. The health system is overwhelmed, leading to underreporting of cases and a lack of resources for contact tracing. The Africa CDC has initiated discussions with Bavarian Nordic to manufacture vaccines locally, aiming to address the vast shortage of mpox vaccines in Africa. The WHO's designation of mpox as a public health emergency aims to galvanize international support for Congo and other affected nations. This response is critical to prevent further mutations of the virus and to ensure that adequate measures are in place to protect vulnerable populations, particularly children.