The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has raised alarms over the continued spread of monkeypox in Africa, declaring the situation “out of control.”
Jean Kaseya, the director-general of Africa CDC, expressed deep concern over the rising number of cases, stating, “We can confirm today that monkeypox is out of control in Africa.”
Fifteen out of 55 African Union member states have reported cases, with 2,912 new cases recorded in just one week.
Rwanda has already begun a vaccination campaign, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, a hotspot for the virus, is set to start vaccinations in early October.
The spread of the virus has now reached all regions of the continent, with Morocco recently reporting its first case.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a global health emergency last month, its highest level of alert. Monkeypox is transmitted through close contact and, in rare cases, can lead to death. Symptoms typically include a rash or mucosal lesions, fever, headaches, muscle pain, and swollen lymph nodes.
