Addis Ababa: Confirmed monkeypox cases in Africa have surged by over 500 per cent this year compared to the total for all of last year, with the number of affected countries rising to 19, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). 

During an online media briefing Thursday evening, Ngashi Ngongo, chief of staff and head of the executive office at Africa CDC, said since the beginning of this year, Africa had reported 48,093 monkeypox cases, with 10,372 confirmed and over 1,048 deaths.

"When we compare (the confirmed cases reported this year) with the entire 2023, that is more than a 500 per cent increase," Ngongo said, adding that "the situation is not yet under control. We are still on the upward trend generally."

Mauritius became the latest African country to report monkeypox cases, bringing the total number of affected countries to 19. Data from the Africa CDC also show that the Central Africa region is the most affected by the outbreak, accounting for 85.7 per cent of all reported cases and 99.5 per cent of deaths.

In the past week, the African continent reported 2,766 new cases, with 1,254 confirmed, along with 34 new deaths. He said the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi accounted for 94 per cent of all new confirmed cases, Xinhua news agency reported.

The AU's specialised healthcare agency also expressed concern over the recent increase in monkeypox cases in Liberia and Uganda. According to Ngongo, some of the risk factors contributing to the rapid spread of monkeypox in Uganda are related to cross-border and sexual transmissions of the virus.

Mpox, known as monkeypox, was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is a rare viral disease typically spread through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and other contaminated materials. The infection usually causes fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.

In mid-August, the Africa CDC declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa a public health emergency of continental security. Soon after, the World Health Organization also declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, activating its highest level of global alert for mpox for the second time in two years.

(IANS)