CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The Democratic Republic of Congo has reported over 1,000 new cases of mpox in the past week, raising concerns about the disease’s impact on the African continent. Mpox is part of the same family of viruses as smallpox but typically causes milder symptoms like fever, chills, and body aches, primarily spreading through close skin-to-skin contact and sexual intercourse. Individuals with severe cases may develop lesions on various body parts.
Over the course of this year, mpox cases have been reported in 12 out of Africa’s 54 countries, with Congo bearing the brunt of the outbreak. Out of the 18,910 reported cases in 2024, a significant majority, 94%, were recorded in Congo, where 541 deaths have been reported. However, these numbers may be lower than reality as only a fraction of suspected cases are being tested for the virus in Congo due to limited testing and surveillance capacities in many African countries.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that of the 1,405 new cases reported in Africa recently, 1,030 were from Congo. While only 16% of these cases have been confirmed through virus tests, they align with the agency’s definition of the disease. The World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreaks in Africa a global health emergency due to the escalating number of cases and the emergence of a new, potentially more transmissible variant in Congo.
Efforts are being made to contain the outbreaks by securing vaccines and aid for affected regions. The Africa CDC received a pledge of 215,000 mpox vaccines from the European Union and pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, with additional doses donated by the United States and Japan to Congo. However, the demand for vaccines far exceeds the current supply, with Congo alone estimating a need for 3 million doses to curb the spread of the virus.
Acknowledging past disparities in accessing vaccines and treatments during the 2022 global mpox outbreak, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa criticized the imbalance and called for equitable distribution of resources. He urged the international community to ensure fair access to mpox diagnostics and vaccines, emphasizing the need for solidarity in addressing the current crisis.
Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya emphasized the urgency of the situation and discouraged enacting COVID-like travel bans, asserting that mpox is not as easily transmissible. He appealed for international support and cooperation in combating the disease, stressing the importance of providing assistance rather than isolating African countries.
