The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention of the Africa Union, Africa CDC, has confirmed a total of 21,466 Mpox cases and 591 deaths in 13 African countries since the beginning of 2024.
The agency has also advocated the approval of Mpox vaccines for use by all the Afric Unionember States, amid global shortages.
The Director General of the Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya who gave the update in a letter to the Ministers of Health of the African Union Member States, called for a holistic approach to the Mpox response among African Union Member States.
In the letter titled: “ Update on the Mpox outbreak in Africa”, Kaseya advocated universal approval of introduction of Mpox vaccines in Africa.
“From 2023 to date, the Mpox viral zoonotic disease has been reported in 16 African Union Member States in all five AU regions, with a high case fatality rate above 3.9 percent.
“From 1st January 2024 to 23rd August 2024, a total of 21,466 cases (3,350 confirmed; 18,116 suspected) and 591 deaths with case fatality rate (CFR): 2.9 percent of Mpox, have been reported from 13 Africa Union (AU) Member States.”
The affected countries were listed as Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Nigeria.
(Vanguard)
