A major public health emergency has been declared following the outbreak of a mutant mpox strain and scientists fear it could spread out of control.
Specialists at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) are warning that new strain of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is spreading around the giant continent at a rapid rate.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has seen more than 13,700 cases and 450 fatalities this year alone.
The new strain is deadlier and more agressive than those which have come before. Now it has emerged in a total of 13 African countries including Burundi, the Central African Republic (CAR), Kenya, and Rwanda.
Branding the outbreak a public health emergency will energise governments to snap into action, curb the spread, and support affected states with medical aid.
Africa CDC head Jean Kaseya issued a stark warning that if efforts weren’t made to contain the virus it could crop up in other locations very rapidly.
“This declaration is not merely a formality. It is a clarion call to action. It is a recognition that we can no longer afford to be reactive.
“We must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this threat,” he said.
Burundi: 225 cases
Cameroon: 35 cases (2 deaths)
Central African Republic: 258 cases
Congo: 169 cases (1 death)
Cote d’Ivoire: 2 cases
Democratic Republic of Congo: 16 789 cases (511 deaths)
Ghana: 4 cases
Liberia: 5 cases
Kenya: 1 case
Nigeria: 24 cases
Rwanda: 2 cases
South Africa: 24 cases (3 deaths)
Uganda: 2 cases
