Africa’s top health authority, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), has declared mpox, a highly contagious disease previously known as monkeypox, a public health emergency. This decision follows the alarming spread of a new strain of the virus, which has resulted in over 13,700 cases and 450 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the start of the year.
The virus, which causes lesions across the body, has also spread to other African nations, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and the Central African Republic. The emergency declaration is expected to assist governments in coordinating their responses and facilitate the provision of medical supplies and aid to affected regions.
Jean Kaseya, head of Africa CDC, emphasized in a BBC report the urgency of proactive measures to prevent the situation from worsening. “This declaration is not merely a formality. It is a call to action, recognizing that we must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this threat,” he stated.
While the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recently assessed the risk of mpox spreading in Europe as “very low,” health officials outside Africa continue to monitor the outbreak closely. The disease, which can be transmitted from animals to humans and between people through close contact, remains a significant concern due to its potential severity if left untreated.