New genetic sequencing results have now confirmed novel clade 1b mpox virus in recent cases from Zambia and Zimbabwe, signifying that the virus is now spreading in most of Africa's regions, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said today.
During a weekly briefing, Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya, MD, MPH, said the African region is still averaging about 2,800 new cases a week, "sending a clear message that mpox is not under control in Africa."
New clusters in Ugandan sex workers
Though the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been the main hot spot, cases in Uganda continue to rise sharply, with 184 cases reported over the past week. The country is battling the clade 1b strain, with cross-border transmission and sexual contact the main drivers of its outbreak. An emerging concern is new clusters among sex workers.
Since the first of the year, African countries have reported 53,903 cases, along with 1,109 deaths. Of 2,836 cases reported over the past week, 34 were fatal.
Vaccination is under way in the DRC and Rwanda, with a campaign expected to launch in Nigeria on November 18.
Children making up about 36% of cases, and the Bavarian Nordic Jynneos mpox vaccine isn't approved for use in younger children, leaving a key gap in the region's vaccination strategy against the disease.
Ngashi Ngongo, MD, PhD, who leads Africa CDC's mpox incident management team, said officials hope to have doses of the LC16 vaccine donated by Japan in Africa by the end of the year. He added that officials are still discussing liability issues. Japan has offered the vaccine from its stockpile, which was used in 1974 to vaccinate children ages 2 to 5 years old.
Kaseya said Africa CDC's mpox emergency committee met last week to assess the latest data. He said committee members expect cases to increase again before stabilizing and starting a downward trend toward the start of the new year.
He added that the group urged nations to leverage mpox actions to address other disease threats, such as measles, and to use the response to strengthen surveillance, local manufacturing, and healthcare systems.
African-made diagnostic test gets green light
In a related development, Africa CDC's diagnostic advisory committee on November 12 recommended the first real-time PCR (RT-PCR) test made in Africa, which is manufactured by a company in Morocco.
In a statement, Kaseya said the test passed stringent criteria, and at today's briefing he said the cost of the test is low. The agency said the step will inspire local makers of diagnostics and other epidemic related products. "Africa CDC is committed to work with these manufacturers and key stakeholders to make [sure] necessary medical products are available for the continent's health security."
Moldiag, the maker of the test, contributed about 5 million COVID tests across Morocco and other African countries during the main pandemic period.
