Southern and Eastern Africa Mpox Situation Snapshot - 3 September 2024

OVERVIEW

In Southern and Eastern Africa, about 367 confirmed Mpox cases, including 3 deaths, have been reported in 5 countries, including Burundi (328), South Africa (24), Uganda (7), Rwanda (4) and Kenya (4) as of 2 September. Experts estimate the actual numbers could be higher. More than 3,800 confirmed cases have been recorded across Africa since January 2024, with Burundi as the second most affected country in the continent after the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Mpox is spreading across the continent, while it is also dealing with other diseases, including cholera and measles.

Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, which has two distinct clades, including clade 1b and clade 2b and can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with an infectious person, contaminated materials or infected animals. Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda have each reported their first cases (clade1b) between July and August, initially circulating in DRC in 2023, and appearing to be more severe and spread faster, including through sexual contact, than the clade 2b variant, which circulates in West Africa.

On August 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the current situation a public health emergency of international concern, with potential to spread further across countries in Africa and beyond. Previously, the last multi-country outbreak of Mpox clade 2b was declared in July 2022, and subsequently declared over in May 2023. Readiness assessments conducted by WHO in some African countries, including in the Eastern and Southern Africa region, indicate a 50 per cent capacity to face the Mpox emergency.

In response, many regional initiatives have been underway. The African Union approved US$10.4 million, on 12 August, to support ongoing efforts to combat the Mpox outbreak across Africa. Also, governments and health partners, with the support of WHO continue to scale up the response. This includes contact tracing, case management screenings at border entry points, boosting testing capacity, surveillance, case reporting and dissemination of information on preventive measures and improving access and delivering of vaccines, diagnostics and supplies. Some countries in the region have launched their response plans including Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda to control the disease. However, limited funding and resources hamper efforts to curb further spread.