ADDIS ABABA — With the number of monkeypox cases surging, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Tuesday declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS).
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya, while addressing a special online media briefing on the multi-country mpox outbreak in Africa, made the declaration of PHECS. He expressed concern over the rapid spread of the disease, mainly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to its neighboring countries.
"Mpox has now crossed borders, affecting thousands across our continent. Families have been torn apart, and the pain and suffering have touched every corner of our continent," he said.
Data from the Africa CDC show that during the past week alone, more than 2,000 new mpox cases have been reported in Africa. Last week, the health body said some 38,465 mpox cases and 1,456 deaths had been reported in Africa since January 2022, affecting at least 16 countries across all five regions of Africa.
According to the Africa CDC chief, the declaration of PHECS was made after close consultations with senior public health experts from Africa and across the world as well as concerned African leaders.
He said the continental public health emergency posed by the rapid spread of mpox "is not just another challenge but a crisis that demands our collective action, a moment that calls upon the very essence of our humanity, our unity and our strength."
The declaration is expected to bring about a greater mobilization of resources and strengthen the international notification mechanism as it will obligate African countries to notify the Africa CDC of any health measures implemented in response to the emergency.
"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, Xinhua news agency reported.
Kaseya further called on the international community to stand in solidarity with Africa in containing the spread of the virus across the continent and beyond.
"This is not just an African issue. Mpox is a global threat that knows no boundaries, no race, and no creed. It is a virus that explores our vulnerabilities by preying on our weakest points," said Kaseya. "It is at this moment of vulnerability that we must find our greatest strength and demonstrate that we are all learning from the COVID-19 lessons, and we are applying solidarity."
Kaseya, however, downplayed concerns with regard to the possible restriction on the movement of people and goods in Africa following the declaration of PHECS.
"The Africa CDC will never at this moment, with the evidence that we have, advise for interruptions on the movement of people and goods. The movement of people and goods will continue as it was in the past while we are giving ourselves the tools to fight this outbreak," Kaseya told reporters.
On Wednesday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), addressing a meeting regarding the upsurge of mpox, said stopping these outbreaks will require a tailored and comprehensive response, with communities at the center.
The WHO is working with the governments of the affected countries, the Africa CDC, non-governmental organizations, civil societies, and other partners to understand and address the drivers of these outbreaks. It has developed a regional response plan, requiring an initial 15 million U.S. dollars to support surveillance, preparedness, and response activities, according to Tedros.
"To fund that response, we have released 1.45 million U.S. dollars from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies, and we plan to release more in the coming days. We are also appealing to donors to fund the rest of the response plan," he said.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958, is assumed to be transmitted from wild animals such as rodents to people or from human to human. It is a rare viral disease usually transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and other contaminated materials. The infection usually results in fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.