The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other countries on the continent could start mpox vaccinations within days.
The DRC is the epicenter of a more lethal strain of mpox that emerged last year and has since spread to about 12 other African countries, with confirmed cases in at least three countries outside Africa.
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the spread of this new strain a public health emergency of international concern.
The Africa CDC expects vaccine doses to arrive shortly, following commitments from the European Union, vaccine manufacturer Bavarian Nordic, the United States, and Japan.
The agency has been coordinating logistics and communication strategies with nations affected by mpox to ensure an effective rollout. Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya emphasized the importance of proper vaccine storage and administration.
Since the beginning of 2024, the total number of mpox cases in Africa has approached 19,000, with over 90 percent of those cases occurring in the DRC.
Mpox is transmitted through close contact with an infected person and causes symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and boil-like skin lesions. While it is typically mild, it can be fatal.
