The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has raised alarms about a surge in mpox cases across the continent, prompting the launch of a significant response plan in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).

The new six-month initiative, running from September 2024 to February 2025, is backed by a budget of nearly $600 million. Of this, 55% will be dedicated to combating mpox in affected regions, while the remaining 45% will support operational and technical efforts through partner organizations.

As of 2024, Africa has reported 24,851 suspected cases of mpox, including 5,549 confirmed cases and 643 deaths. Jean Kaseya, director general of Africa CDC, shared these figures during an online briefing on Friday.

Congo has emerged as the epicenter of the outbreak, with 90% of the reported cases originating there. The country has logged 20,463 suspected cases and 635 deaths. Kaseya highlighted a troubling "upward trend" in mpox cases across Africa, noting that at least 14 countries have been impacted since May 2024.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, underscored the necessity for a unified response to the crisis in Congo. She stressed the importance of the Africa CDC-WHO joint plan in coordinating efforts to strengthen expertise, mobilize resources, and swiftly curb the spread of mpox.

"This plan marks a crucial step in our coordinated efforts to support affected countries, enhance expertise, and mobilize resources to halt the mpox outbreak," Moeti said. "Our collaborative approach aims to protect communities and individuals from this virus."

In mid-August, the WHO declared the mpox outbreak in Africa a public health emergency of international concern. This decision was prompted by the emergence of a new, more dangerous variant, clade 1b, first identified in Congo in September 2023. Cases of this variant have since been reported in countries such as Sweden and Thailand.

Recently, Guinea confirmed its first mpox case. Genetic sequencing is underway to determine if the clade 1b variant has spread to West Africa.

Congo has recently received 99,100 doses of the mpox vaccine and is currently developing a distribution strategy, especially for the eastern region of the country, where the outbreak is most severe amidst an ongoing humanitarian crisis. However, health authorities have not yet announced the start date for vaccinations.

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