The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has declared that the Mpox outbreak in Africa poses a significant continental threat rather than being confined to local areas. Mohammed Omer Mukhier, the IFRC regional director for Africa, emphasized the seriousness of the situation.
With over 17,000 suspected or confirmed cases and around 500 deaths reported in at least 12 countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the epidemic has exceeded the scale seen in previous years. The case fatality rate currently stands at 3.2%, raising alarms as the virus spreads rapidly among new at-risk populations and has begun to affect regions that have never before experienced Mpox.
“The sharp increase in Mpox cases in Africa is deeply concerning and a serious public health issue,” said Mukhier. He highlighted the need for immediate and coordinated action across the continent. In the DRC, the Red Cross has been collaborating with local teams to support affected communities since last year; however, Mukhier stressed that more needs to be done in coordination with the Ministries of Health as the situation continues to rapidly evolve.
Grégoire Mateso, President of the DRC Red Cross, described the past year as “difficult.” He noted that the emergence of a new, potentially more transmissible variant, Clade 1b, poses significant challenges to containment efforts. He emphasized the impact that a lack of testing, vaccines, and treatment kits has on controlling the disease, as well as the necessity for enhanced public awareness to address stigma, promote early detection, and ensure the isolation of cases.