MPOX TRACKER

The African continent is facing an unprecedented surge in mpox cases, with data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention revealing alarming trends and new challenges.

Current Situation:
1. Case Statistics:
- Over 500% increase from previous year
- 48,000+ suspected cases reported
- 1,048 deaths recorded
- 19 African countries affected
- Central Africa bearing 85.7% of cases and 99.5% of deaths

2. Global Context:
- WHO declared global health emergency in August
- New clade Ib strain emerging
- Spread from Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbors
- European cases detected in:
* Sweden
* Germany
* Britain

3. Transmission Factors:
- Spreads through close physical contact
- Including sexual transmission
- New strain showing increased transmissibility
- Cross-border spread accelerating

4. Response Challenges:
- Situation remains uncontrolled
- Continuing upward trend
- Need for increased political engagement
- Urgent financial support required
- Risk of pandemic escalation

Africa CDC officials, including Ngashi Ngongo, emphasize the critical need for immediate action to prevent clade Ib from developing into a more severe pandemic than COVID-19, particularly given its potential as a sexually transmitted infection. The situation demands urgent international attention and resources to contain the outbreak's spread both within Africa and globally.