THE ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control has reported that Mpox is still spreading in the region, with 44 confirmed cases and one death recorded by the end of Epi Week 33, 2024.
The report made available to journalists on Saturday, August 16, notes that Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Ghana are the most affected countries in ECOWAS.
The ICIR reports that Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, with two distinct clades: Clade I and Clade II. The disease can be transmitted through close contact, such as sex, skin-to-skin contact and talking or breathing close to another person.
Unlike the previous mpox public health emergency, declared in 2022, caused by the relatively mild Clade 2, the recent outbreak in Congo began with the spread of an endemic strain, known as clade I.
“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), the report read”.
The African continent has faced major difficulties in controlling the spread of Mpox, with a significant rise in both cases and deaths since the start of 2024. This year, there have been 37,583 cases and 1,451 deaths, marking a severe public health emergency.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is disproportionately affected, responsible for 96.3% of all cases and 97% of deaths across Africa in 2024.
In the first half of 2024, Africa experienced a dramatic surge in Mpox infections, with 14,250 cases and 456 deaths—an increase of 160% in cases and 19% in fatalities compared to the same period last year. The Democratic Republic of Congo continues to be the epicenter of the outbreak, with a case fatality rate of 3.2%, highlighting the severity of the crisis.
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) is the most affected, accounting for 96.3 per cent of all cases and 97 per cent 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 per cent and deaths 19 per cent compared to the same period in 2023. The case fatality rate stands at 3.2 per cent for 2024, with the highest burden in DRC,” the report added.
In June 2024, the African region saw 567 new Mpox cases, underscoring the ongoing spread of the virus. The Regional Centre has urged a rapid increase in response efforts and emphasized the need for urgent public awareness campaigns to educate communities on prevention and symptoms.
On Wednesday, August 14, The ICIR reports that the World Health Organization declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years while also reporting that at least 39 confirmed Mpox cases have been recorded across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory since the beginning of 2024, with the the Federal Government intensifying monitoring and screening procedures at all entry points in the country.
Fatimah Quadri is a Journalist and a Fact-checker at The ICIR. She has written news articles, fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy in an effort to combat information disorder.
She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or [email protected]