The African continent is on the brink of declaring a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) as the Mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox) outbreak continues its alarming spread across numerous countries.
During a recent webinar discussing the Mpox situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African nations, Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa Centre for Disease Control, emphasized the gravity of the situation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mpox is a viral infection caused by the monkeypox virus, closely related to smallpox but generally less severe. The illness manifests with symptoms including fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.
Transmission of Mpox occurs through animal-to-human contact, as well as human-to-human transmission via close contact, respiratory droplets, and contaminated objects.
In 2022, the World Health Organization and other global health institutions renamed monkeypox to “Mpox” to mitigate the stigma associated with its original name.
Dr. Kaseya underscored the urgent necessity for a unified response to control the outbreak.
“Mpox is a stark reality, and it is claiming lives across Africa. We are taking decisive actions to protect our people, and it is highly likely that we will declare the PHECS next week,” he stated.
He explained that this declaration aims to mobilize resources, coordinate cross-border efforts, and strengthen the continent’s health infrastructure to combat the outbreak effectively.
Dr. Kaseya also highlighted the critical role of Africa’s youth in the fight against Mpox, emphasizing that their involvement is crucial for harnessing their energy and innovation.
The decision to declare the PHECS will be guided by health experts and political leaders across Africa, ensuring a unified and effective response to the outbreak.
“Involving our youth is essential in creating an appropriate and effective response to this crisis, which will not only help us contain the outbreak but also bolster Africa’s health systems,” Kaseya said.
As the continent prepares for the official declaration of the PHECS, there is a growing urgency to curb the spread of the virus. This declaration is expected to expedite the distribution of medical supplies, enhance information sharing, and improve the resilience of public health systems across Africa.
The global community is closely watching these developments, recognizing that Africa’s response to the Mpox outbreak will have significant implications for public health security both on the continent and worldwide.
With Mpox cases surging across Africa—affecting all five regions and 16 countries—the continent is facing a major public health challenge. Since January 2022, Africa has recorded 38,465 Mpox cases and 1,456 deaths, with a staggering 160% increase in cases in 2024 compared to 2023.
Dr. Kaseya noted that the virus has spread through cross-border transmission, sexual contact, and co-morbidities, particularly in regions with vulnerable populations, such as those experiencing malnutrition or HIV.
“The outbreak has reached new countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Uganda, marking their first-ever reported cases,” he said.
Detailing specific cases, Kaseya mentioned that Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Health recently declared its first Mpox outbreak, involving a 46-year-old agricultural worker and a 20-year-old student, both from Abidjan. The mode of exposure remains unclear, and the circulating clade has yet to be identified.
In Kenya, a 42-year-old long-distance truck driver was identified as the first Mpox case at the Taita Taveta point of entry on the Kenya-Tanzania border. Uganda also reported two female cases in the Kasese district, both imported from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kaseya warned that Mpox poses a high risk, with a case fatality rate of 3.2%, particularly affecting children under 15.
NAN recalls that on July 17, the African Union’s Executive Council approved a statute granting the Africa CDC the authority to make independent public health decisions. This move follows the WHO’s July 23, 2022, declaration of monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, despite Africa’s long-standing battle with the disease since the 1970s.
