The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared monkeypox outbreaks in Congo and other parts of Africa a global emergency. This declaration comes as the virus spreads across over a dozen countries, impacting both children and adults. The outbreak involves a new strain of the virus, and vaccine availability in the affected regions remains extremely limited.
Earlier this week, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) also labeled the situation a public health emergency. The CDC reported more than 500 deaths and has called for international aid to curb the virus’s spread. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern about the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond.
The Africa CDC’s data indicates that monkeypox, also known as mpox, has been detected in 13 countries this year. The majority of cases and fatalities are concentrated in Congo, where over 96% of the total cases have occurred. The number of cases has surged by 160%, and deaths have increased by 19% compared to the previous year. To date, there have been over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths.
In 2022, the WHO declared monkeypox a global emergency following its spread to over 70 countries not previously affected, primarily impacting gay and bisexual men. During that outbreak, fewer than 1% of those infected died.
Current Statistics by Country:
- Burundi: 225 cases
- Cameroon: 35 cases (2 deaths)
- Central African Republic: 258 cases
- Congo: 169 cases (1 death)
- Côte 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)
