Mpox cases in Africa are trending downward, but some countries have seen a rise in cases last week. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported that new challenges include exponential spread in Guinea and the arrival of clade 2b in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Sierra Leone has seen significant improvements, with cases down from 600 to 94 per week, thanks to intensified community surveillance, good vaccination uptake, and better testing coverage. A delivery of 3,000 mpox vaccine doses from Ireland is expected to arrive on August 11.
However, overall, cases and deaths have outpaced totals for 2024, with new outbreaks emerging in Gambia, Cameroon, and Mozambique. Clade 2b was detected in Kinshasa, which has been battling 1a and 1b clades linked to travel from West Africa.
Other countries, such as Uganda and Burundi, have reported case rises, likely due to a shift to more active surveillance. Liberia is experiencing accelerating cases, with positivity rates increasing, while Mozambique and Guinea face challenges related to weak health systems and cross-border spread.
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/mpox/mixed-mpox-picture-africa-shows-successes-challenges-newly-affected-countries