Rapidly spreading Mpox virus persists in African nations
Since the start of this year, a total of 18,737 possible or verified instances of Mpox have been recorded across the continent. This is significantly more than the 14,383 cases reported in the entire year of 2023. The CDC indicates that Mpox cases have been reported in twelve different countries that are members of the African Union (AU), with a death toll of 541 so far.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a high alert status due to the spread of the new Mpox variant 1b in various African states. Known as monkey pox for decades, this disease can be transmitted not only from animals but also directly between people, such as during sexual activity.
Experts are deeply worried about the 1b strain currently circulating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and some other African countries. According to the CDC, 24 fatalities were reported in the DRC alone last week as a result of a 1b infection.
On Thursday, Sweden became the first European country to report a case of the 1b virus strain. The infected individual is a traveler who recently returned from the affected region in Africa.
According to the latest data from the CDC, there has been a significant increase in new infections in Africa, particularly in Burundi, which shares a border with the DRC. A total of 173 new cases were detected in the country last week - a 75% jump compared to the previous week.
Back in May 2022, the Mpox virus subgroup 2b started spreading outside of Africa, primarily in Europe. Men having sexual relationships with men were disproportionally affected. The WHO declared a global health emergency around this time, which was then lifted in May 2023.
The 2b virus subgroup is less harmful compared to the currently prevalent 1b variety in Africa. Common symptoms of an infection with the 1b strain include a full-body rash. In milder cases, the rash affects only specific body areas such as the mouth, face, or genitals. Fever is also a characteristic symptom of the disease.
Effective vaccines against Mpox are available, but they were not used extensively in Africa to combat the 2022 infection surge. They are still not widely accessible in this region.
The African Union (AU) has been impacted significantly by the Mpox outbreak, with 12 of its member countries reporting cases and a total of 541 deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the concern over the spread of the 1b variant within the AU, urging heightened surveillance and response measures.
