Congo reports more than 1,000 new mpox cases in a week. African authorities ask for vaccines

Cape Town, South Africa — Congo has reported over 1,000 new mpox cases in the past week, heightening the need for urgent vaccine supplies as African health officials grapple with a worsening mpox outbreak. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified this situation in Africa as a global emergency.

Mpox, a virus similar to smallpox, causes symptoms like fever, chills, and body aches but is generally less severe. It spreads mainly through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual interactions, and can lead to serious cases with lesions on the face, hands, chest, and genitals.

This year, Congo has been particularly hard-hit, with 94% of the 18,910 mpox cases reported in 2024 originating there, alongside 535 of the 541 recorded deaths. The true number of cases is likely higher, as only about 20% of suspected cases are tested. Dr. Jean Kaseya from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) notes that many African nations struggle with inadequate testing and surveillance.

In the past week, Congo accounted for 1,030 of the 1,405 new cases across Africa. Despite only 16% being confirmed by tests, these cases meet the criteria for the disease. The rising incidence of mpox and a new variant identified in Congo have led the WHO to declare a global health emergency.

Previous attempts to secure donations for mpox have been largely unsuccessful. Recently, the European Union and Bavarian Nordic committed to providing 215,000 vaccines to Africa, and the United States donated 50,000 doses. Japan has also contributed. However, Congo's health officials have stated that the country needs 3 million doses to effectively manage the outbreak, which has also spread to neighboring countries.

The global response to the 2022 mpox outbreak was swift in wealthy nations, which received vaccines and treatments promptly, while Africa received minimal aid. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has criticized this disparity and called for equitable access to mpox diagnostics and vaccines. His comments recall Africa's previous frustration over delayed COVID-19 vaccine access.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has recommended that travelers to affected areas check for vaccine eligibility, potentially increasing pressure to obtain more vaccines. Dr. Kaseya highlighted that mpox is "growing and spreading," with cases in Burundi more than doubling to 572 in just a week. He appealed for global solidarity and warned against implementing COVID-like travel restrictions on African countries, emphasizing that mpox is less transmissible.