Empox Outbreak in Africa: Death Toll Exceeds 700

The number of people who have died from Empox (monkeypox) in Africa this year has exceeded 700, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As of the 12th, the number of deaths from Empox this year was counted at 724. A total of 26,544 suspected cases of Empox have been reported across the African continent this year, of which 5,732 were confirmed cases.

The majority of confirmed cases and deaths have originated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the epicenter of the variant Empox. Morocco in North Africa reported its first confirmed case of Empox since 2022 on the 12th, bringing the number of countries in Africa where Empox has occurred this year to 15.

Empox is an acute febrile rash disease caused by a viral infection. The disease spread to the Americas and Europe in May 2022, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the highest level of alert. Although the declaration was lifted in May of last year when the spread slowed, a new variant, subtype 1b, with a relatively high fatality rate and rapid transmission rate began to spread this year, leading the WHO to re-declare a PHEIC on the 14th of last month.

The Empox outbreak in Africa has raised concerns globally, highlighting the need for continued vigilance and cooperation to combat the spread of infectious diseases.