Mpox outbreak declared public health emergency in Africa

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An outbreak of mpox has been declared a public health emergency in Africa by the continent’s top health body.

Scientists from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have expressed alarm at the speed by which a new strain of the disease has been spreading.

More than 15,000 mpox cases and 461 deaths have been reported on the continent this year – a 160% increase in cases compared with the same period in 2023, while deaths have jumped by around 19%.

Mpox, previously called monkeypox, has spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbouring countries. A total of 18 nations have reported cases.

The public health body said 96% of all cases and deaths were in DR Congo.

Officials at Africa CDC said nearly 70% of cases in the country are in children younger than 15, who also accounted for 85% of deaths.

Mpox causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. Most cases are mild but it can be deadly.

The disease spreads through close contact with infected people, including via sex, with the latest outbreak in the continent beginning with the spread of an endemic strain known as Clade 1.

However a new variant has emerged, known as Clade 1b, which appears to spread more easily through close contact, particularly among children.

Mpox – what is it, what are the symptoms and how is it treated?

Mpox is a viral disease that occurs mostly in central and western Africa. It was first identified in laboratory monkeys, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or pus-filled lesions which can last two to four weeks. It also can cause fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.

A human can contract it through physical contact with someone who is infectious or with infected animals.

Currently there is no treatment approved specifically for mpox virus infections,…

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