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PRETORIA | TASS | The epidemic of mpox (the new name of monkey pox) that has broken out in Africa requires a coordinated global response, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a statement.
“The mpox epidemic is a stark reminder that viruses know no borders. Shortages in testing, treatment, and vaccines demand a coordinated global response, including increased access to vaccine stocks in Africa. A unified effort is essential to protect vulnerable populations,” the statement reads.
“The sharp increase in mpox cases in Africa is deeply concerning and a serious public health concern. This isn’t just a local issue; it’s a continental threat that demands immediate and coordinated action <…> as the situation evolves and expands rapidly across Africa,” IFRC Africa Regional Director Mohammed Omer Mukhier said.
The statement was issued after Samuel-Roger Kamba, the health minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said that the country urgently needed three mln doses of mpox vaccines. The authorities plan to vaccinate 2.5 mln people to stop the disease from spreading. The health minister called on the international community to provide assistance to his country in purchasing vaccines.
On August 13, the African Union’s health agency declared a public health emergency on the continent over a mpox outbreak, with an epicenter in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mpox cases have been recorded in 17 African countries. The total number of patients exceeds 38,000, while fatalities have passed 1,400.
Mpox is a rare viral infection that occurs primarily in remote tropical rainforest areas of central and western Africa. The first case of animal-to-human transmission of mpox was recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970.
