Mpox and Cholera Surge: Africa’s Shifting Hotspots
- Despite the world health Organization (WHO) lifting the global mpox emergency, cases are increasing in several African nations, prompting the Africa Centres for Disease Control adn Prevention (Africa...
- While mpox activity is declining in countries previously most affected, a concerning upswing is observed in Kenya, Liberia, Ghana, and Nigeria, according to Ngashi Ngongo, MD, PhD, MPH,...
- over the past year, reported mpox cases have already exceeded the total for 2023, and officials are particularly alarmed by a sharp increase in fatalities, especially among individuals...
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Mpox Outbreaks Continue to Rise in Parts of Africa Despite Global Emergency Declared Over
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Despite the world health Organization (WHO) lifting the global mpox emergency, cases are increasing in several African nations, prompting the Africa Centres for Disease Control adn Prevention (Africa CDC) to maintain a continental public health emergency. Fragile progress and concurrent outbreaks of other diseases necessitate continued vigilance.
Current Situation and Trends
While mpox activity is declining in countries previously most affected, a concerning upswing is observed in Kenya, Liberia, Ghana, and Nigeria, according to Ngashi Ngongo, MD, PhD, MPH, leader of the Africa CDC’s incident management team, speaking at a recent briefing on May 15, 2024 (Reuters). The WHO officially ended its global mpox emergency declaration on May 11, 2024 (WHO), but the Africa CDC has opted to continue its emergency status due to the precarious nature of recent gains.
over the past year, reported mpox cases have already exceeded the total for 2023, and officials are particularly alarmed by a sharp increase in fatalities, especially among individuals with underlying health conditions like HIV (Reuters). This highlights the vulnerability of immunocompromised populations.
Regional hotspots
Liberia
Liberia is experiencing significant and sustained mpox activity, with Montserrado County, which includes the capital Monrovia, accounting for 66% of confirmed cases (Reuters). Notably, 88% of active cases in Liberia are currently being managed through home isolation, suggesting a strain on healthcare resources.
Kenya
Kenya’s outbreak continues to expand without signs of plateauing, with cases concentrated in Mombasa, Busia, and Nairobi counties (Reuters). Kenya recently initiated its mpox vaccination program.
Vaccination Efforts
Eleven African countries have begun implementing mpox vaccination programs. Kenya is the most recent addition, and Malawi and Zambia are anticipated to receive doses of the MVA-BN vaccine within the next week (Reuters). The MVA-BN vaccine, developed by Bavarian Nordic, has demonstrated efficacy against