Morocco has confirmed its first case of mpox in the city of Marrakesh, marking the first occurrence in North Africa since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared an international emergency last month, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported on Friday.
In a statement posted on its website, the Africa CDC said, “Africa CDC confirms the first mpox case in North Africa for 2024, reported by Morocco’s Ministry of Health,” on September 12.
With this, Morocco becomes the 15th African Union member state to report cases, spreading the virus to all regions of the continent.
Mpox, formerly referred to as monkeypox, is a viral infection transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals. It can also spread from person to person via close physical contact. The disease causes fever, muscle aches, and distinctive large skin lesions, which can be fatal in some cases.
The 32-year-old patient from Marrakesh tested positive for mpox and is currently receiving treatment, according to the Africa CDC. The Moroccan health authorities have launched emergency measures, deploying rapid response teams and conducting contact tracing and epidemiological investigations.
Morocco’s Ministry of Health stated separately that the patient is being treated at a specialised medical facility in Marrakesh and is in stable condition, with no cause for concern. Thus far, no symptoms have been detected among those in contact with the patient.
The WHO declared an international emergency on August 14, following a rise in cases of the new Clade 1b strain of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has since spread to neighbouring countries.
The Africa CDC reports that 26,544 cases have been recorded across the 15 affected countries this year, with 5,732 of those confirmed. The outbreak has also led to 724 deaths, with the majority of cases located in Central Africa.