Mpox Insights & Actions: Making Sense of Mpox Trackers
October 16, 2024
The 2024 mpox outbreak is intensifying across Africa, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as the epicenter. Cases are rising in multiple countries, affecting men and young children significantly. Despite 5.39 million vaccine doses pledged, only 5.23% have arrived in Africa. Vaccination campaigns have begun in Rwanda and the DRC, targeting high-risk groups. The WHO has expanded vaccine approval to include 12-17 year olds. Diagnostic challenges persist, though new tests are under review. The outbreak remains uncontained, highlighting the need for improved diagnostics, sanitation, and community engagement. Vaccine donation issues underscore the need for better global emergency response systems.
The 2024 mpox outbreak is escalating across Africa, with new cases reported in Zambia and Ghana. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains the epicenter, reporting 6,169 confirmed cases, 25 deaths, and 31,350 suspected cases. Men account for 60% of all cases, while children under five represent a significant portion, particularly in the DRC where they make up 28.1% of cases.
Response efforts face significant challenges:
1. Vaccine Distribution: Only 5.23% of the 5.39 million pledged vaccine doses have reached Africa.
2. Vaccination Campaigns: Rwanda and the DRC have initiated campaigns targeting high-risk groups, including health workers and close contacts of patients.
3. Vaccine Approval: The WHO has extended approval of the MVA-BN vaccine to include 12-17 year olds.
4. Therapeutics: No treatments have received WHO approval, though clinical trials for tecovirimat are ongoing.
5. Diagnostics: Testing remains challenging due to cost and access issues, though new tests are under WHO review.
The outbreak remains uncontained despite increased coordination efforts. While reported deaths are relatively low, diagnostic challenges may mask true case counts. There's an urgent need for improved detection, prevention, and community engagement strategies.
The slow progress in developing new countermeasures highlights the difficulties of responding to active emergencies. Efforts to advance emergency use authorities for diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines are crucial.
The vaccine donation situation reflects complex challenges, including uncertainty about future disease trajectories and logistics of allocation and delivery. This underscores that vaccine donation is not an ideal mechanism for ensuring timely and equitable responses to public health emergencies.
Moving forward, the global community must address the current mpox vaccine access challenge while developing better systems for timely access to affordable countermeasures for future emergencies. This situation emphasizes the need for improved global cooperation and preparedness in responding to emerging health threats.