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Resurgence of Mpox in Côte d'Ivoire Amid Growing Concerns Across Africa

Health Education and Awareness
August 22, 2024

As of 20 August 2024, the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) in Côte d'Ivoire reported 28 confirmed cases of mpox, including one death, in the city of Abidjan. This marks a significant increase from the six non-fatal cases reported on 1 August 2024. Dr. Daouda Coulibaly of the NIPH assured the public that "the situation is not alarming," noting that the outbreak is still in its early stages. However, he emphasized the need to strengthen surveillance efforts to "break the chains of transmission, identify contacts, isolate them, and monitor them."

The initial cases of mpox in Côte d'Ivoire this year were identified as clade 2, the same strain responsible for the global epidemic in 2022. However, ongoing analyses are being conducted to determine if the recent cases involve a new strain. This concern arises amid a resurgence of mpox across Africa, where a more transmissible and deadly variant, clade 1b, emerged in September 2023 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC remains the most affected country, with over 16,000 cases and 548 deaths. Cases of the clade 1b variant have also been detected in other East African countries and one case in Sweden.

The resurgence of mpox in Africa prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare an international public health emergency on 14 August 2024. This declaration mirrors the global health alert activated in 2022 during the earlier stages of the mpox outbreak. The virus, first discovered in humans in 1970 in the DRC, continues to evolve, with the new clade 1b variant posing a heightened risk due to its increased transmissibility and lethality.

As Côte d'Ivoire and other African nations grapple with the re-emergence of mpox, public health officials are focused on containment measures to prevent further spread. While the situation in Abidjan is currently under control, the evolving nature of the virus underscores the need for continued vigilance and global cooperation in combating this public health threat.

Source:

ProMED, via ProMED-EAFR

https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.17829

https://www.afro.who.int/news/scaling-response-curb-growing-mpox-outbreak-african-region