The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said it is working with international partners and African Union member states to kick start Mpox vaccination soon across the continent.
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya, while addressing a special online media briefing Tuesday on the multi-country mpox outbreak in Africa, said mpox vaccination could start “in the coming days” as the number of cases surge across Africa.
Kaseya expressed concern over the rapid spread of the disease across the affected African countries.
“We will start in a few days if we are sure that everything is in place. By the end of next week, vaccines will start to arrive in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other countries,” Kaseya told reporters.
He said the number of mpox cases in the affected countries has now surpassed 18,910, with more than 1,400 new cases and 24 related deaths were registered during the previous week alone.
Africa CDC data show that between Jan. 1 and Aug. 13, 12 African countries reported 17,505 mpox cases and 541 deaths.
On August 13th, the Africa CDC declared the ongoing Mpox outbreak in Africa as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, saying that the outbreak “has now crossed borders, affecting thousands across our continent.”
MG/as/APA