Monkeypox has been present in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the 1970s. Recent months have seen it spread. In the DRC alone, more than 14,000 people have been infected since the beginning of the year, 511 of whom have died.
In the past month, more cases of monkeypox have been reported from countries bordering the DRC. A week ago, the Africa CDC warned that the rate of spread of this disease is alarmingShe said that since the beginning of the year, more than 15,000 cases of the virus have been recorded across Africa, which is a 160% increase compared to the same period a year earlier.
“Monkeypox has already crossed borders, infecting thousands of people across our continent… It is with a heavy heart that we… declare mpox a public health emergency for continental security,” Africa CDC Director General Jean Kasenya said in an online press briefing. He also called for immediate action to contain and eliminate the disease.
A few days ago Africa CDC calls for ‘global solidarity’ on monkeypox vaccinesAfrica currently has access to only 200,000 vaccine doses when it needs 10 million.
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The current epidemic is caused by a virus called clade 1b, which is highly contagious in close contact, especially among children.
The WHO Emergency Committee, which will meet on Wednesday, August 14, will also consider the matter. Importantly, the WHO already declared monkeypox a global health threat in 2022.
Monkey pox. What disease is this?
Monkeypox is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by a virus. The virus is transmitted through close contact. Monkeypox is characterized by flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, and muscle pain. It also causes pus-filled skin lesions that resemble pimples, making it difficult to distinguish from chickenpox. The disease is most common in Africa.
