Recent reports from Nairobi and the Central African Republic have confirmed new outbreaks of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, in the region. The announcement comes as health officials in Africa work diligently to contain the spread of the disease, particularly in areas where vaccines are scarce.
The outbreak in Nairobi was declared after a passenger traveling from Uganda to Rwanda tested positive for mpox at a border crossing in southern Kenya. Meanwhile, the Central African Republic was the first to report a new outbreak, with cases extending to its capital city of Bangui.
Mpox is a viral disease that typically originates in wild animals and can be transmitted to humans, leading to potential human-to-human spread. The Central African Republic's public health minister expressed deep concern over the situation, highlighting the impact of the disease in region 7 of the country.
While mpox has been endemic in parts of central and west Africa for decades, a global outbreak in 2022 raised significant alarm as the disease spread to over 100 countries. In a concerning development, the World Health Organization confirmed sexual transmission of mpox in Congo last year, posing challenges for containment efforts.
Despite successful containment of mpox epidemics in the West through vaccines and treatments, many African countries continue to face challenges due to limited access to these resources. Congo has been hit the hardest, with over 12,000 cases and 470 deaths reported in the current outbreak. South Africa, which had not seen a case since 2022, also reported new cases this year.
In response to the outbreaks, authorities in the Central African Republic have called for public support to help slow the spread of the disease, particularly in remote areas where infections are most common. The East African Community has issued alerts to member states about the situation in Congo, urging preventive measures and information sharing to combat the spread of mpox.
