Africa Records More Than 17,000 Mpox Cases Throughout 2024

Illustration of Monkeypox (ANTARA)

Monkeypox (monkey pox/mux) is rampant in Africa. The proof is that more than 17,000 cases of Mpox infection and 517 deaths related to the disease have been reported in 13 of the 55 African Union countries since the beginning of this year.

This was stated by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in a statement released by the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), quoted from ANTARA, Sunday, August 18.

"Since early 2024, a total of 17.541 confirmed cases (2.822 confirmed and 14.719 suspected) and 517 deaths from the Mpox have been reported in 13 AU Member States," said Ramaphosa.

He continued, the emergence of the MPX case was also reported in three other countries in the African Union this week. This incident will bring the total country in the organization with the reported cases to 16.

"What is worrying is that the number of cases reported in 2024 has increased by 160% compared to the same period in 2023," he said.

Health Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Roger Kamba stated on Thursday (15/8/2024) that more than 540 people had died frommpx in DRC since early 2024, with 15,664 potential cases reported in the country during the same period.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday 14 August, World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the outbreak of thempox in Africa a public health emergency of international concern.

On Tuesday (13/8/2024), the Africa CDC declared a public health emergency over the outbreak.

Mpox is a rare infectious disease that can be transmitted between humans. Usually, this disease has mild symptoms and most people recover within weeks, but some may experience complications.

The initial symptoms of the campix include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, lymph nodes swelling, chills, and fatigue.

In addition, rashes can also appear, often starting on the face and then spreading to other parts of the body.