This alert from the World Health Organization (WHO) comes as the DRC remains faced with a major epidemic of monkeypox due to a strain (clade I) of the virus. This Great Lakes country reports 9,291 clinically compatible cases and 419 deaths among these reported for 2024 alone, with a high case fatality rate of almost 5%.
Children are particularly affected by this epidemic, with even higher mortality rates. A new strain of clade I virus also broke out in South Kivu, mainly through sexual contact, and reached Goma, North Kivu, as well as an internally displaced persons camp.
Risk of wider outbreaks remains
“It is absolutely necessary to address the recent increase in the number of smallpox cases in Africa,” Rosamund Lewis, WHO technical lead for monkeypox, told a press briefing in Geneva.
Among African countries, the Republic of Congo recently declared a smallpox outbreak and Cameroon reported new cases.
“Given limited global immunity, the risk of larger outbreaks remains, posing a significant threat to public health,” added Ms. Lewis, noting that WHO is working with neighboring countries to intensify preparedness and strengthen surveillance and cross-border collaboration.
Worldwide, smallpox remains a threat to public health and the situation continues to evolve. More than 3,100 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported worldwide since the start of the year. In May alone, around 600 confirmed cases were reported to WHO from 26 countries.
Addressing the recent surge in smallpox cases in Africa
In addition to the situation in the DRC, a major outbreak of smallpox (caused by clade IIb of the virus) has also occurred in South Africa. Since April, the southern African country has reported 13 confirmed cases, including two deaths. All patients are critically ill with advanced HIV infection and have required hospitalization.
“We know that people with advanced HIV infection are at greater risk of severe illness and death from smallpox,” said Lewis, noting that South Africa has strengthened surveillance and contact tracing.
More broadly, the WHO believes that it is imperative to tackle the recent upsurge in smallpox cases in Africa. It is essential to intensify investigations and monitoring efforts to determine the root causes of this resurgence.
Faced with these risks, the WHO recommends that States allocate their resources as a priority to vaccination, treatment and public health initiatives for groups at risk in order to effectively combat this threat.
One dose of mpox vaccine.
More than 97,000 cases worldwide since 2022
Note that monkeypox generally manifests itself as a rash or damage to the mucous membranes which can last between two and four weeks, accompanied by fever, headache, myalgia (muscle pain), back pain, marked asthenia. (lack of energy) as well as swelling of the lymph nodes. The monkeypox virus is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or through contaminated materials.
Between January 1, 2022 and April 30, 2024, 97,208 cases of smallpox, including 186 deaths, were reported to WHO by 117 countries in the six WHO regions. During this period, the ten countries that reported the highest number of confirmed cases in the world are the United States (32,820), Brazil (11,212), Spain (7,992), Colombia (4,226), France (4,218), Mexico (4,097), the United Kingdom (3,928), Germany (3,841), Peru (3,812) and China (2,357). Together, these countries account for more than 80% of reported cases worldwide.
){kind=link}