Mpox continues to pose a serious public health threat in Africa, with 489 new cases and 53 deaths recorded in the past week, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, highlighted the ongoing risk, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where a vaccination campaign is underway.
Kaseya revealed that over 38,300 Mpox cases have been recorded across 16 African countries in 2024, with 979 deaths. He called for accelerated interventions, including vaccination, to curb the outbreak. Nigeria is also set to begin administering 10,000 doses of the Mpox vaccine, received from the U.S., in the coming days.
While the Marburg virus has caused concern in Rwanda, Kaseya reassured the public that the risk of cross-border transmission is minimal due to strict preventive measures in place. He criticized the U.S. for issuing a travel advisory against Rwanda, calling it an overreaction to the Marburg outbreak.
