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Addis Ababa/Bukavu – Mpox cases continue to rise in some African countries. According to the African health authority CDC Africa, 27 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours alone, and 1,400 in the last week.

The outbreaks are concentrated in Central Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where nearly 17,800 cases and more than 500 deaths have been reported since the beginning of the year.

In Burundi, reported cases of the disease rose from 265 to 572 within a week, according to CDC information. In total, there are almost 19,000 Mpox cases since the beginning of 2024, an increase of 104 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

A vaccine that can be used against Mpox could be available as early as the end of next week, said Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa CDC. When asked, it remained unclear how many vaccine doses are expected from the USA and who will be vaccinated first.

It has not yet been decided whether Germany will also donate Mpox vaccine doses to African countries. The World Health Organization (WHO), among others, has called on countries with vaccine stocks to donate them to countries affected by the disease outbreak.

According to information from the Federal Ministry of Health today, the federal government is still examining “whether and what kind of assistance can be provided”. So far, there has been no concrete request for assistance from the recipient countries.

“Neither the countries, nor the target group to be vaccinated, nor a vaccination schedule or the logistical questions (types of containers, needles, etc.) have been clarified so far,” the ministry said. The EU Commission has also not yet specified its intended donation.

The African authorities have asked the international community for help. And this help must now be provided. Svenja Schulze, Development Minister (SPD)

Meanwhile, the Development Ministry in Berlin announced that a mobile laboratory to detect the virus will be delivered to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

There are also plans to train additional specialists so that they can recognize symptoms of the disease and educate the population about preventive measures. According to the information, corresponding training measures were already carried out in eastern Congo in June.

“The African authorities have asked the international community for help. And this help must now be provided,” said Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD).

As a lesson from the pandemic, an international emergency fund has been created, which is currently filled with 500 million dollars. “These funds should now be used against Mpox.” In the long term, Africa’s own vaccine production is the only fair response.

The CDC Africa also spoke out in favor of local vaccine production in order to reduce prices. Talks with the vaccine manufacturer Bavaria Nordic have already begun, it was said at yesterday’s press briefing. Bavaria Nordic had previously announced that it would produce ten million vaccine doses for Africa by the end of 2025.

Further studies on efficiency needed

Kaseya did not question the safety of the vaccines used in America and Europe in 2022. However, the African health authority advocated conducting further studies on efficiency during ongoing vaccination.

In contrast to the 2022 epidemic, which was caused by clade IIb, clade I is now spreading in Central and East Africa. It is known to be associated with higher virulence and skin lesions all over the body. The mutated clade Ib, which has hardly been studied, has appeared in eastern regions of the DRC, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Kenya.

The Mpox virus could spread internationally again, researchers warn. This time, however, it is the more dangerous clade I, which is currently driving up the number of cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A mutated variant is also causing concern. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) alone, more than 9,000 Mpox cases have already been reported in 2024, including […]

Africa CDC warns against stigmatization

The Africa CDC’s weekly press conferences are intended to improve awareness of the issue. The health authority hopes to reduce stigma and improve acceptance of vaccination among the population.

Because Mpox is not just a sexually transmitted disease, emphasized Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa CDC. Unlike during the 2022 epidemic, it is not correct today to declare Mpox a disease of homosexual people.

“Today, anyone can become infected with Mpox,” explained Kaseya. Many children and young people are affected. This message must now be spread among the population – also via social media to reach young people, said the spokespersons for CDC Africa at the press briefing.

In many African countries, homosexuality is considered a crime. In some countries, it can result in long prison sentences or even the death penalty. The DRC is not one of them. However, since 2010, several MPs in the DRC have repeatedly tried to introduce laws to criminalize such acts, as well as to restrict freedom of expression and criminalize gender expression (ILGA database).

In Burundi, for example, “anyone who has sex with a person of the same sex” is punished with a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 francs or a prison sentence of three months to two years. In addition, students can be excluded from secondary school because of homosexuality.

The WHO declared the highest alert level on Wednesday last week due to the Mpox outbreaks in Africa and the new, possibly more dangerous variant. This is intended to make authorities around the world more vigilant. The CDC Africa had previously declared the highest alert level for the continent.

Kaseya believes that travel restrictions are inappropriate: “We need solidarity and support.” Partners worldwide should stop thinking about travel restrictions for Africa. “This would bring us back to the unfair treatment of Africa during the COVID pandemic,” said the Director General of the Africa CDC. © gie/ggr/dpa/aerzteblatt.de