🚨 Mpox Outbreak Declared a \"Continental Emergency\" in DRC 🚨
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing a serious health crisis as the mpox outbreak has been declared a \"continental emergency\" by Health Minister Roger Kamba. 🦠
Since the start of this year, the DRC has reported over 16,700 confirmed or suspected cases of mpox, tragically resulting in more than 570 deaths. This is a sharp increase from the 15,664 suspected cases and 548 deaths just last week. 😟
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is causing concern not just in the DRC, but across 17 African countries and others around the world. What’s especially alarming is that it’s hitting younger people hard, particularly children under 15. Kamba called this trend a \"novelty\" in the outbreak. 👶
In response, the DRC is stepping up its game. The country declared a national outbreak back in December 2022 and set up an incident management system in February 2023. Now, they’re expecting a batch of mpox vaccines next week! 💉
\"But I remind you that the vaccine is only part of the response; the first line of defense is adherence to preventive measures,\" Minister Kamba emphasized. 🧼🙏
The government’s efforts have helped prevent an even larger spread within the country, but the fight is far from over. 🛡️
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the alarm by declaring mpox a public health emergency of international concern. This came after the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that the outbreak is a significant threat to the continent. 🌍
According to the African Union's health agency, new mpox cases in 2024 have increased by 160% compared to the same period in 2023. 📈
The outbreak is being worsened by a more deadly variant of the virus, known as clade 1b, which has a mortality rate of 3.6%, higher than previous strains. 😰
But there's hope! The global vaccine alliance, Gavi, announced it has up to $500 million to help get vaccines to affected countries. The DRC is set to receive its first doses soon, which could be a game-changer in controlling the outbreak. 💪
Mpox spreads through close physical contact, including sexual contact, but unlike COVID-19, there’s no evidence it spreads easily through the air. Remember, staying informed and following preventive measures is key! 📣
Stay safe out there, amigos! 🫂✨
Reference(s):
Mpox outbreak declared a "continental emergency" in DRC, killing 570
cgtn.com
