Africa Faces Surge in Mpox Cases Amid Vaccine Delays

Africa is grappling with a sharp rise in mpox cases, with nearly 4,000 reported in the past week, according to the continent’s public health body. The total number of cases has reached 22,863, with 622 deaths. Dr. Jean Kaseya of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported the increase during an online briefing.

The situation is exacerbated by delays in vaccine delivery. Approximately 380,000 doses of mpox vaccines were promised by Western partners, including the European Union and the United States, but this amount is less than 15% of what is needed to control the outbreak in Congo, the epicenter of the crisis. The initial batch of vaccines, including 50,000 doses from the U.S. and 15,000 from GAVI, is now expected to arrive in Congo on September 1, delayed due to documentation and authorization issues.

The new mpox variant, first detected in Congo, is causing significant transmission in neighboring countries like Burundi, which has recorded nearly 800 cases in the past month. The U.S. has also donated 10,000 doses to Nigeria, where mpox is already prevalent.

The Africa CDC is preparing a unified response plan for the outbreak, which will be reviewed by African heads of state in September. In the meantime, African countries are focusing on health measures and hygiene practices to mitigate the spread of the virus. However, enforcement is challenging in Congo due to ongoing humanitarian crises and crowded displaced camps.

• a story by Chinedu Asadu

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