African countries have recorded nearly 70,000 mpox cases since the start of this year, with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) hit hardest by the new strain.
The number of mpox cases reported in Africa this year has surpassed 69,000, with the death toll rising to more than 1,260, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported.
Alain Atubondo is a businessman who had a brush with death this year. Having tested positive for mpox in August, he was admitted to a hospital in Kinshasa, capital of DRC, due to critical condition. He eventually recovered after getting treatment.
"The health workers gave me medicine when I was admitted and after I got discharged. It was all free. All my compatriots who have contracted mpox should take heart and seek medical advice. They will get cured," he said.
Mpox is a viral disease that is common in forested areas in central and west Africa. But a new more severe strain of the disease was detected in a remote mining town in eastern DRC this year.
The suspected cases of mpox reported in DRC have exceeded 53,800, including 1,225 deaths, Ministry of Public Health announced this month.
The strain -- known as Clade 1b -- spread to neighbouring countries, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to announce a global health emergency in August.
A collaborative effort between the WHO and Africa CDC is underway to combat the disease's spread.
"Many things have been done. One is actually what we call 'One team.' As we speak, we have the WHO and the Africa CDC co-leading the incident management team, the continent management team, both of them based here in Kinshasa in DRC," said Boureima Hama Sambo, WHO Representative to DRC.
Vaccination efforts have been central to the response, with over 50,000 individuals, mostly healthcare workers, receiving vaccinations.
With ordinary people still largely exposed, the disease has continued spreading, but maybe not as fast as before.
"Most of the mpox cases are spreading in provinces that we describe as hotspots. In Sud-Kivu， Equateur, Tshuapa, Sankuru and Bas Uele. Those are the areas with high cases but when you look at the global trend, there's a drop. Last week we recorded about 439 cases," said Roger Kamba, DRC Health Minister.
Children have been the most affected by the mpox outbreak in the DRC. Health experts attribute that to their weak immunity and the existence of other childhood diseases in the country.
Authorities said they have stepped up measures to protect them from dying of a disease that is transmitted through close contact with infected people or wild animals.
African countries record nearly 70,000 mpox cases in 2024
