The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced that vaccination against mpox will begin within days in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other affected countries, according to Africa News. This announcement comes after pledges from the EU, vaccine manufacturer Bavarian Nordic, the U.S., and Japan to supply vaccines to the continent. The Africa CDC stated that the vaccine doses are expected to arrive soon.
Jean Kaseya, the director-general of the Africa CDC, emphasized the importance of safely storing and properly administering the vaccines. He also mentioned that the Africa CDC is working with affected countries on logistics and communication strategies to ensure effective vaccine distribution.
Last week, the WHO and the Africa CDC declared mpox a public health emergency of international and continental concern. The latest figures from the Africa CDC indicate that there have been 17,541 reported mpox cases and 517 deaths across 13 African countries.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is the epicenter of the current outbreak, accounts for 96% of all cases and 97% of all deaths reported in 2024. The country has recorded 16,700 confirmed or suspected cases of mpox, along with more than 570 deaths.
Other countries have reported cases as well, with South Africa confirming 24 cases, including three deaths, and Cameroon reporting five cases, with two fatalities. Burundi has over 100 cases, Nigeria has 39, Liberia has five, Rwanda has four, while Ivory Coast and Uganda have two cases each, and Kenya has one confirmed case.
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