The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control has expressed fears that monkey pox continues to spread in the region, with 44 confirmed cases and one death recorded by the end of Epi Week 33, 2024.
Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Ghana are the hardest-hit countries in ECOWAS thus far.
The report, released on Friday was made available to journalists on Saturday, August 17, 2024.
Mpox, or monkeypox, is a zoonotic viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, part of the Orthopoxvirus genus.
Although, it has the symptoms of smallpox, it is generally less severe.
The virus spreads from animals to humans through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or lesions of infected animals.
Human-to-human transmission occurs through respiratory droplets, contact with infected body fluids, or exposure to contaminated objects.
The report reveals, “As of August 15, 2024, the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control continues to monitor the Mpox situation in the ECOWAS region, as well as continental and global level.
“As at Epi Week 33, a total of 44 confirmed cases and one death have been reported in the ECOWAS region since the beginning of the year; Nigeria (24), Cote d’Ivoire (11), Liberia (5) and Ghana (4). ”
Meanwhile, the African continent has continued to experience significant challenges in controlling the spread of Mpox, with a marked increase in cases and fatalities since the beginning of 2024.
With 37,583 cases and 1,451 deaths reported this year, Africa is facing a massive public health emergency, which could pose a huge challenge of not addressed as soon as possible.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is bearing the brunt of this crisis, accounting for as much as 96.3 per cent of all cases and 97 per cent of deaths continent-wide in 2024 alone.
The first half of 2024 saw an explosive rise in infections across Africa—14,250 Mpox cases and 456 deaths—representing a 160 percent increase in cases and a 19 percent jump in fatalities compared to the same period last year.
The DRC remains the epicentre of the outbreak, with a case fatality rate of 3.2 percent, underscoring the severity of the crisis.
“However, the Africa continent has continued to experience significant challenges in controlling the spread of Mpox, with a marked increase in cases and fatalities since the beginning of 2024.
“A total of 37,583 cases and 1,451 deaths have been reported across 15 African Union Member States . The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) being the most affected, accounting for 96.3 percent of all cases and 97 percent of deaths in 2024 alone.
“In the first half of 2024, the continent saw 14,250 Mpox cases, including 2,745 confirmed cases and 456 deaths, representing a significant increase in both cases 160 percent and deaths 19 percent compared to the same period in 2023. The case fatality rate stands at 3.2 percent for 2024, with the highest burden in DRC,” it added.
In June 2024 alone, 567 new cases were reported in the African region, highlighting the relentless spread of the virus.
The Centre stated, “June 2024 saw a global continuation of Mpox transmission, with 567 new cases reported from the African Region, further underscoring the ongoing public health emergency.”
The Regional Centre called for an immediate scaling up of response efforts.
It stressed the need for urgent public awareness campaigns to educate communities about prevention and symptoms.
“We recommend strengthened surveillance systems to promptly detect and respond to monkeypox cases. Timely reporting and robust case management are critical in mitigating the spread of the virus.
“Given the cross-border nature of disease transmission, we strongly encourage enhanced cooperation among neighbouring countries.
“Coordinated efforts in surveillance, data sharing, and joint outbreak response will be instrumental in containing the spread of monkeypox across borders,” it advised.
The Africa Centre for Disease Control recently declared mpox a “public health emergency of continental security” as the virus has spread across several countries continue>.
