According to the World Health Organization, since the beginning of 2024, almost 30 000 cases of mpox infection have been registered in Africa. At the same time, more than 800 people across the continent have died from the virus during this time.
This is reported by Reuters.
Most cases of mpox were registered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Neighboring Burundi has also been affected by the growing outbreak of the virus.
Meanwhile, according to the African Union Public Health Agency, 14,957 cases of mpox infection and 739 deaths were registered on the continent last year, which is 78.5% more than in 2022. From January to September 15, 2024, 29,342 cases of the disease and 812 deaths were recorded in Africa.
According to WHO, there were 2,082 confirmed cases of mpox worldwide in August alone, the highest number since November 2022.
On Saturday, the World Bankʼs pandemic fund said it would allocate $128.89 million to ten African countries to fight the virus outbreak.
What is mpox
Mpox is a viral infection commonly found in animals in Central and West Africa. It used to be called "monkey pox", but in 2022 the World Health Organization recommended that the term be replaced by mpox.
You can get this disease by coming into contact with an infected animal, but scientists are not sure if it is from monkeys. In their opinion, smallpox is transmitted to humans by rodents. A person can catch monkeypox if they are bitten by an infected animal or through contact with animal fluids such as blood, feces, saliva, etc. You can also get infected if you eat undercooked meat. Smallpox is manifested by fever and rashes.
- WHO declared a global public health emergency on August 14 due to an outbreak of mpox in Africa.
- On September 13, WHO approved the first mpox vaccine.