WHO: Monkeypox outbreak in 14 African countries

CAIRO – 8 October 2024: The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its 39th report on the outbreak of monkeypox across several African nations, providing an update on the epidemic’s status as of September 29, 2024.

According to the WHO, 14 African countries have reported cases of monkeypox in the last six weeks, indicating active outbreaks. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been the hardest hit, with 5,610 confirmed cases and 25 fatalities in 2024. Following the DRC, Burundi reported 853 confirmed cases with no fatalities, and Nigeria recorded 78 confirmed cases, also with no deaths.

This report provides a detailed analysis of North Kivu province in the DRC, where approximately one-third (34%) of confirmed cases occurred among individuals living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. Of the total monkeypox cases, around 75% were among children aged 0 to 17, with cases distributed equally between males and females.

Currently, available case investigation and genetic sequencing data suggest that monkeypox transmission in this region is exclusively human-to-human. Approximately 34% of the confirmed cases reported sexual contact as the mode of transmission, and of these, over half (52%) were identified as sex workers.

On October 3, 2024, the WHO approved its first emergency-use diagnostic test for monkeypox, the Alinity m MPXV. In response to the outbreak, 265,000 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine were transported from Kinshasa to various health centers across the DRC to combat the spread of the virus.

The monkeypox outbreak continues to pose a significant public health challenge in Africa, with the DRC reporting the highest number of cases. WHO’s recent approval of a diagnostic test and vaccine distribution efforts are key steps in managing the outbreak.