Since January to date, Africa has recorded an unprecedented increase in mpox cases with 15 countries confirming outbreaksconfirmed this Thursday the World Health Organization (WHO), which raised the emergency response to the highest level.
So far they have been verified 2030 cases and thirteen deaths this yearcompared with 1,145 cases and seven deaths in all of 2023.
Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus (commonly abbreviated as MPXV), a species in the genus Orthopoxvirus.
Rash and fever, some of the symptoms
Common symptoms include a skin rash or mucosal lesions that may last two to four weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back painlow energy and swollen lymph nodes.
The virus can transmitted through physical contact with someone who is sickwith contaminated materials or with infected animals.
Palliative treatment
The treatment that is given until now only relieves the symptomsbut various therapies are being tested that could counteract mpox.
The WHO reported that the Democratic Republic of the Congo accounts for 90% of the reported cases, which include a new variant emerged last September.
Cases of the variant have also been documented in neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda, as well as in Kenya, and cases in Burundi are currently being analysed.
Rapidly interrupt transmission
The WHO Regional Director for Africa stressed that “Priority is rapidly interrupt transmission of the virus.”
“We are working with partners to support countries in strengthening outbreak control measures to ensure that communities are integrated into the measures taken to end effectively to outbreaks,” said Matshidiso Moeti.
The country teams and WHO experts deployed in countries assist national authorities in strengthening key response areas such as disease surveillance, diagnostic testing and clinical care, as well as infection prevention and control.
They also work with health authorities to access therapies, decentralize laboratory services, improve diagnostic capabilities and increase awareness of the risk of the disease among communities.
Health agency experts also support field research and actively searching for cases in affected and at-risk countries, and assisting in contact tracing and mobilizing financial support to help countries respond.
Emergency meeting
The WHO director general yesterday called an emergency meeting of a specialized committee to determine whether the outbreak in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.
“The committee will meet as soon as possible and will be composed of independent experts from a range of relevant disciplines from around the world,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
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