The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has issued a warning about an alarming rise in mpox cases across Africa.
Jean Kaseya, the Director General of Africa CDC, stated in a news conference on Thursday that the disease is currently not under control on the continent.
Kaseya noted a concerning 177% rise in mpox cases and a 38.5% increase in related deaths compared to the same period last year, affecting 15 African countries.
In the past week alone, 2,912 new cases and 14 deaths were reported, raising the urgency of enhancing surveillance and containment efforts.
According to the latest data, Africa has recorded over 29,000 mpox cases and 738 deaths this year.
Kaseya pointed out the ongoing challenges, particularly the continent’s limited testing and laboratory capacities, which hinder effective disease control.
To curb the spread of the virus, the DG expressed hope that Africa will receive 10 million doses of the mpox vaccine from international partners. He praised Rwanda’s recent vaccination efforts, where 500 people have been vaccinated so far.
Rwanda received 1,000 vaccine doses from Nigeria, part of a bilateral arrangement following a donation of 10,000 doses from the United States.
The vaccination campaign in Rwanda, which began this week, focuses on seven districts bordering Congo, targeting populations at high risk.
Congo, the region’s worst-hit country, plans to begin its vaccination campaign in the first week of October. The country has received 200,000 vaccines from donors, including the European Commission, but still requires 3 million doses to fully address the outbreak.
Morocco is the latest African country to report an mpox outbreak, with its first cases confirmed on 12 September.
Africa CDC is urging countries to step up preventive measures and continue their vaccination campaigns to control the spread of mpox across the continent.