A MAJOR outbreak of a mutant mpox strain has been declared a public health emergency in Africa by health chiefs. Scientists at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) are sounding the alarm as this new virus spreads rapidly across the continent. Since the start of 2024, the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC ) has seen over 13,700 cases and 450 deaths.
The deadlier, more aggressive strain of the virus, formerly known as monkeypox , has now spread across Africa to 12 other countries including Burundi, the Central African Republic (CAR), Kenya, and Rwanda. Labelling the outbreak as a public health emergency will push governments to act faster and potentially push vital medical supplies and aid for the affected regions. Africa CDC head Jean Kaseya warned that the disease could spiral out of control if immediate steps were not taken to contain it.
Read more on mpox "This declaration is not merely a formality. It is a clarion call to action. It is a recognition that we can no longer afford to be reactive.
"We must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this threat," he said. Health chiefs outside Africa will also be keeping track of the situation to assess the risk of the outbreak spreading further. Prof Marion Koopmans, from the Pandemic and Disaster Management Centre, that the risk of the virus coming to Europe is "small although it is possible".
Most read in Health Experts have previously told the Sun the disease could eas.