Outbreak Report, 26 August 2024: Mpox Situation in Africa

Context

The increase in the number of mpox cases in Africa since the beginning of 2024, coupled with the spread of the disease in newly affected countries, has led to urgent measures being taken at the continental level. These include:
• Assessed the severity level of the mpox epidemic during the recent risk assessment conducted by Africa CDC and categorized it as a level 3 emergency;
• Set up of the continental Incident management system with 24 members based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), epicentre of the current mpox outbreak;
• Made consultations with the 13 affected Member States through their NPHI Directors;
• Consulted keys partners of the Joint Emergency Action Plan namely WHO and UNICEF;
• Consulted the AU Commission Pandemic prevention, preparedness and response;
• Consulted the President of Mauritania as the Chair of the African Union;
• Consulted public health scientists and experts through the Advisors and Technical Council;
• Consulted the Emergency Consultative Group (ECG) that advised the Director General of Africa CDC to declare the mpox epidemic a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) on August 13, 2024;
• Convened the Governing Board of Africa CDC to review the mpox situation in Africa and the ECG recommendations to the DG of Africa CDC.
• The DG negotiated with mpox vaccine manufacturers and secured the first round of 280,000 vaccine doses