What's happened
As of August 24, 2024, East Africa is experiencing a significant surge in mpox cases, particularly in Burundi, which reported 171 cases. The outbreak is attributed to a new, more transmissible strain, prompting urgent health responses across the region, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to the South China Morning Post, Burundi's health authorities are working to identify and isolate cases quickly, stating, 'We still don’t have any deaths, because we’re lucky enough to be able to detect cases quickly.' In contrast, Al Jazeera highlights the ongoing challenges faced by healthcare workers in the DRC, noting that they have been managing mpox outbreaks since 2022 amid other health crises. The Africa CDC reported a 160% increase in cases in 2024 compared to the previous year, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. The WHO's declaration of a global health emergency underscores the severity of the outbreak, as cases have now been detected in 13 African countries and beyond.
How we got here
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has been endemic in parts of Africa. Recent outbreaks have escalated due to a new strain, Clade 1b, which is more deadly and transmissible. The World Health Organization has declared an international health emergency in response to the rising cases.
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