The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the escalating mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14 by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Simultaneously, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has categorized it as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS).
VillageReach has put together this page to provide information and resources to help you stay informed. We will continue to update as we find new resources.
Core Country Updates
As of October 6, 16 countries in Africa have reported mpox cases. This is 7535 confirmed cases, including 32 deaths. The most affected country in 2024 continues to be the Democratic Republic of the Congo (6169 confirmed cases, 25 deaths), followed by Burundi (987 confirmed cases, no deaths) and Nigeria (94 confirmed cases, no deaths).
Democratic Republic of Congo – From August 26 – October 6, 1,322 cases have been confirmed. South Kivu is the most affected province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, reporting the highest number of suspected and confirmed mpox cases.
A vaccination campaign was launched in the provinces of Haut-Katanga and Haut-Lomami by the Chief of Staff of the Minister of Health, accompanied by the Director General of the National Institutes of Public Health and the coordinator of the DRC EOC. The WHO stated that the vaccination campaign will be focused in 11 of the most affected health zones in Equateur, North Kivu, Sankuru, South Kivu, Sud-Ubangi and Tshopo provinces.
VillageReach is participating in addressing laboratory challenges with flexibility funds from the Gates Foundation to support the provinces of Tshopo, Maniema, and Sankuru. They are also providing hand sanitizers and wash basins to the coordination team.
Malawi – No confirmed cases; 35 samples sent for testing. The Ministry of Health is activating the health cluster meetings and VillageReach got an invite. This demonstrates a connection to the planning efforts that are unfolding in the country. VillageReach will take part across the emergency platforms that are being activated. MoH has requested VillageReach support on the CCPF training for integrating mpox messages.
Mozambique – As of October 8, Mozambique has registered 140 suspected cases of mpox, all of which tested negative. Out of these suspected cases, 53 were positive for chickenpox, 4 for measles, and 2 for rubella.
Partner Country Updates
Côte d’Ivoire – As of September 29, there has been reported a cumulative total of 328 suspected cases including 67 mpox confirmed cases across 26 districts out of 113, with two new cases documented in week 39. Among these, two cases were confirmed with epidemiological links, and one death has been recorded. In total, 63 patients have fully recovered, and three active cases still receiving proper care
Kenya – As of October 2, there are a total of nine confirmed cases spread across different counties, with the most recent case being reported in Nakuru County. The outbreak was declared on 31st July 2024, and since then, cases have been detected in counties including Taita Taveta, Busia, Nairobi, Nakuru, Mombasa, Makueni, Kajiado, and Bungoma. Out of these, six cases have recovered, two are in isolation, and one is under home-based care.
Tanzania – No mpox cases in the country. Public advised to take precautions to advise themselves. MoH strengthening surveillance in the community, as well as readiness in health facilities. A hotline in MoH is being used to educate the public/community.
Immunization
As of October 1, over 5,391,960 doses have been pledged globally.
Core Country Updates
As of September 22, 15 countries in Africa have reported 6603 confirmed mpox cases including 32 deaths. The three countries reporting the most cases in 2024 are the Democratic Republic of the Congo (5621 confirmed cases, 25 deaths), Burundi (696 confirmed cases, no deaths), and Nigeria (78 confirmed cases, no deaths). In addition to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, deaths among confirmed mpox cases in 2024 have been reported in South Africa (three), Cameroon (two), Central African Republic (one) and Cote d’Ivoire (one).
Democratic Republic of Congo – As of September 22, there are 5,621 reported confirmed cases and 25 deaths among confirmed cases. In 2024, the provinces reporting the highest number of suspected mpox cases are Equateur and South Kivu, followed by Sankuru, Sud Ubangi, Tshopo, Tshuapa and Mongala.
On Thursday, September 5, 2024, DRC received the first batch of the vaccine – 99,100 doses, from the European Union and Africa CDC. An additional 50,000 doses arrived from the US on Tuesday, September 10. However, the mpox vaccination campaign that was to e rolled out on October 2 in DRC has been pushed back, with the exact start date unclear.
Malawi – No confirmed cases; 35 samples sent for testing. The Ministry of Health is activating the health cluster meetings and VillageReach got an invite. This demonstrates a connection to the planning efforts that are unfolding in the country. VillageReach will take part across the emergency platforms that are being activated. MoH has requested VillageReach support on the CCPF training for integrating mpox messages.
Mozambique – As of August 18, 89 suspected cases were reported, with 83 negative, 6 pending results. The case investigation form is being revised, and educational materials are updated to reflect “Mpox” instead of “monkey pox.” Training for journalists and medical professionals on prevention is ongoing.
Partner Country Updates
Côte d’Ivoire – As of September 22, Côte d’Ivoire has confirmed a total of 52 mpox cases including one death, with 3 new cases reported in the week leading up to September 14. Currently VillageReach is not engaged in mpox efforts, but discussions are underway for potential integration of transportation into the national system.
Kenya – As of September 25, Kenya has reported a total of 193 suspected mpox cases from 28 counties, with 7 confirmed cases. The Kenya MoH, with support from WHO and partners, has developed an mpox national preparedness and response plan that has identified 14 high risk counties along the Northern Corridor, a busy transport route that runs from the Kenya-Uganda border to the port city of Mombasa, where rapid response teams have been deployed to intensify surveillance.
Tanzania – No mpox cases in the country. Public advised to take precautions to advise themselves. MoH strengthening surveillance in the community, as well as readiness in health facilities. A hotline in MoH is being used to educate the public/community.
What is mpox?
Mpox is a zoonotic Orthopoxvirus that has two clades: Clade I MPXV and II (which consists of two subclades IIa and IIb). Since September 2023 Clade Ib has been identified in DRC. In early May 2022, cases of mpox have been reported from countries where the disease is not endemic and continue to be reported in several endemic countries. For more information about the multi-country outbreak identified from 2022, see here.
In August 2024, an upsurge of cases was identified in Africa, with the epicenter being the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On August 14, 2024, a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) was declared by the WHO.
How is it transmitted?
The virus spreads from animals to humans through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or cutaneous/mucosal lesions of infected animals. Human-to-human transmission can occur via respiratory droplets, contact with infected body fluids, or contaminated materials.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and exhaustion.
A rash often appears 1-3 days after the onset of fever, starting on the face and spreading to other parts of the body.
Vaccination and Prevention
Vaccination against smallpox has been shown to be about 85% effective in preventing mpox. Preventive measures include avoiding contact with animals that could harbor the virus, practicing good hygiene, and isolating infected individuals.
Immunization
On August 31, 2024, UNICEF issued an emergency tender for the procurement of mpox vaccines. The UNICEF tender would help secure secure mpox vaccines for the hardest hit countries in collaboration with Africa CDC, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization and other partners.
Under the emergency tender, UNICEF will set up conditional supply agreements with vaccine manufacturers, enabling UNICEF to purchase and ship vaccines without delay once countries and partners have secured financing, confirmed demand and readiness and the regulatory requirements for accepting the vaccines are in place. WHO is currently reviewing the information submitted by manufacturers on August 23 and is expected to complete its review for Emergency Use Listing by mid-September.
On September 1, Gavi has approved a contract for Bavarian Nordic to provide 500,000 doses of mpox vaccine, funded by the response fund. In addition to the vaccine prequalification, the WHO granted its first emergency approval to an mpox diagnostic test on October 3.
“Our unified response is essential to curbing the impact of this public health emergency and safeguarding the health and well-being of our communities,” said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC.
Vaccine Equity
Two companies produce the main mpox vaccines, KM Biologics and Bavarian Nordic. The price of the vaccine from Bavarian Nordic is $200 for each dose. US advocacy group Public Citizen has urged Bavarian Nordic to commit to a more public health-focused strategy.
“We again urge you to reconsider this approach and commit to a more public health-focused strategy. This should include providing not-for-profit or discounted pricing to LMICs, as well as publishing delivery schedules and prices.”
Additionally, back in June, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, launched the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), together with the African Union and Africa CDC. AVMA aims to accelerate the expansion of commercially viable vaccine manufacturing in Africa. However, the initiative has been criticized for offering incentives that favor established international manufacturers as opposed to nurturing local African manufacturers.
Integration
Supply chain integration – Currently, Incident Management training is underway in Mozambique, with VillageReach actively participating in various established groups, including Supply and Logistics.
Lab sample transport and diagnosis – In the DRC, VillageReach is actively participating in key meetings and supporting the transportation of samples through the existing Lab Sample Transport (PLST) system. We are continuing to explore opportunities to leverage budgets from current projects to enhance the mpox response.
Resources
| VillageReach | WHO |
| Country Updates | Africa CDC
|