Summarised by Centrist
The World Health Organization has declared that the mpox outbreaks across Africa are a global health emergency.
Authorities say that there are over 14,000 cases and more than 500 deaths attributable to the virus (also known as monkeypox). Reports say it is now spreading to children in more than a dozen countries.
The WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “The potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying.”
The Africa CDC notes that nearly 70% of cases in Congo are in children under 15, who account for 85% of deaths. According to Tedros, a new, more dangerous form of the virus “is something that should concern us all”
Michael Marks, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said of the global response that: “It’s a failure of the global community that things had to get this bad to release the resources needed.”
Congolese authorities have requested 4 million vaccine doses, but none have arrived, yet. Experts like Dr Dimie Ogoina warn that without better surveillance and a stronger response, the situation could worsen. “We’re working blindly when we’re not able to test all suspected cases,” he said.
