As of the end of Epi Week 33, 2024, there have been 44 confirmed cases of Mpox, monkeypox and one recorded death, according to the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control.

Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire are the ECOWAS nations most severely affected.

On Friday, August 16, the report was made public, and on Saturday, it was made available the media.

The monkeypox virus, which is a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus, is the cause of mpox, also known as monkeypox. Though it is related to smallpox, it is usually not as severe.

Humans can contract the virus from animals by coming into close contact with their blood, bodily fluids, or sores.

Human-to-human transmission can happen when a person comes into contact with contaminated objects, infectious bodily fluids, or respiratory droplets.

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 revealed.

Notwithstanding, the African continent has encountered noteworthy obstacles in managing the proliferation of Mpox, as evidenced by a notable surge in both instances and fatalities since the start of 2024.

This year, there have been 1,451 documented deaths and 37,583 illnesses, indicating a serious public health emergency across the continent.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is disproportionately affected by this epidemic; in 2024 alone, it accounted for 97 percent of deaths and 96.3 percent of all cases on the continent.

There was an enormous spike in Mpox infections across Africa during the first half of 2024, with 14,250 cases and 456 deaths. This is a 160% increase in cases and a 19% increase in fatalities over the same period the previous year.

With a case fatality rate of 3.2%, the DRC continues to be the epicenter of the outbreak, highlighting how serious the situation is.

However, the African continent has continued to experience significant challenges in controlling the spread of Mpox, with a marked increase in cases and fatalities since the beginning of 2024.

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,” it added.

567 new cases were reported in the African continent in June 2024 alone, demonstrating the virus’s unrelenting expansion.

The Centre stated,

June 2024 saw a global continuation of Mpox transmission, with 567 new cases reported from the African Region, further underscoring the ongoing public health emergency.

The Regional Center demanded that reaction activities be immediately increased in scope.

It emphasized how urgently public awareness initiatives are needed to inform communities about symptoms and prevention.

We recommend strengthened surveillance systems to promptly detect and respond to monkeypox cases. Timely reporting and robust case management are critical in mitigating the spread of the virus.

Given the cross-border nature of disease transmission, we strongly encourage enhanced cooperation among neighbouring countries.

Coordinated efforts in surveillance, data sharing, and joint outbreak response will be instrumental in containing the spread of monkeypox across borders,

it advised.

Due to the virus’s recent international expansion, the Africa Centre for Disease Control has deemed mumps a “public health emergency of continental security.”

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