Although no fatalities have been recorded in Kinshasa, the outbreak is being fueled by both clade Ia, which has been present for many years, and the more transmissible sub-variant, clade Ib. The Africa CDC emphasized the urgent need for intervention due to the rising number of cases in Kinshasa.
Mpox has been endemic in central and west Africa for decades, but the current outbreak, which originated in eastern Congo, has raised alarms due to the rapid transmission of clade Ib through sexual and close physical contact, resulting in infections and deaths among hundreds of children. Kinshasa, a densely populated city, has international air connections that could facilitate further spread.
This year, over 34,000 suspected cases of mpox have been reported across Africa, more than three times the number recorded at the same point in 2023. The majority of cases, approximately 95 percent, are concentrated in Congo and Burundi, with 866 reported deaths.
In response, approximately 5.9 million mpox vaccine doses have been committed to Africa, with an immunization campaign set to commence in Congo on October 5. Additionally, the continent is expected to receive $1.1 billion in support, including $500 million from the United States, as stated by Africa CDC director Jean Kaseya during the announcement. A decision regarding the allocation of the U.S. funds, of which 60 percent are new and the remainder repurposed from other initiatives, is expected this week.
Simultaneously, Rwanda, which has also reported cases of mpox, recently confirmed its first-ever infections of the deadly Marburg virus just a week ago.