Outbreak of mpox in central and eastern Africa

The Mpox virus continues to spread throughout the African continent. The situation remains particularly worrying in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but also in Burundi and Uganda. Belgian Red Cross-Flanders activated its emergency relief fund three months ago to contain the epidemic. In addition to financial support, our colleague Marie was also sent out for two months to support Red Cross activities in the Central African Republic.

Testing (potential) cases remains hugely important to get a good idea of the situation and to take the necessary hygiene and sensitization measures. 

Some figures:

• Democratic Republic of Congo: 42,912 cases, of which 9,457 cases were confirmed
• Burundi: 3,924 cases, of which 1,863 cases were confirmed
• Central African Republic: 398 cases, of which 69 were confirmed

The spread of the Mpox virus in Africa continues to increase. Currently, there are already some 6,200 confirmed cases in 15 countries, although the actual number of infections is probably higher. Due to limited testing capacity in some countries, suspected cases are not always confirmed (in a timely manner), although we are seeing some improvement here. Unfortunately, 32 people have also already died as a result of the infection.

The worst affected countries are the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi and Nigeria. The situation in the DRC is especially worrisome, with 5,399 confirmed cases and 25 deaths. The outbreak mainly affects children under 5 and adults between the ages of 20 and 40.

To contain the outbreak, local Red Cross teams are focusing on detecting infections, informing the population, psychosocial support and promoting hygiene.

DRC

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the hardest hit country, the local Red Cross has deployed 640 volunteers. They have already reached 480,000 people with information campaigns and supported some 7,000 with psychosocial care. In the hard-hit province of Equateur, volunteers are organizing door-to-door visits and sharing information through radio spots to raise public awareness. Thanks to these initiatives, more than 19,000 people have already been reached. These efforts play a crucial role in containing the outbreak and protecting communities.

Burundi

In Burundi, the Red Cross is working closely with the Ministry of Health to control the country's first-ever Mpox outbreak. More than 1,300 volunteers visited 2,042 families and participated in awareness campaigns in churches, mosques and radio programs. The Burundi Red Cross set up hotline 109 to report suspected cases and is coordinating the transport of patients to health centers. These actions allow the community to receive assistance more quickly and keep the spread of the virus under better control.

Central African Republic

Our colleague Marie left for Bangui last week and has since arrived well. She supports and coordinates the activities of the local Red Cross there as Operations Manager. Currently, the team is completing the final preparations for a national response plan together with the Ministry of Health. Teams will soon leave for affected areas to inform communities and train volunteers in detecting suspected Mpox cases. With the new school year just beginning, several workshops are planned to inform teachers on how best to deal with the Mpox outbreak in the classroom.

In the coming weeks, Marie will continue to support the local team to minimize the impact of the outbreak and better prepare communities.

RKV

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders already released 100,000 EUR to provide a response to support this epidemic and national Red Cross societies.

You can help too! Make a donation via account number BE53 0000 0000 5353 with the mention 'Mpox' or set up an action via action.rodekruis.be

In response to the AfricaCDC's alarming figures on the recent mpox outbreak in Central and East Africa, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is stepping up its humanitarian assistance in the region. Since January 2024, suspected mpox infections have risen to 24,783 - 77% more than in mid-August - of which 5,549 have been confirmed. The number of deaths rose to 643 - 26% more than in mid-August - while experts warn that these figures may underestimate the real situation. Children are particularly affected. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, as many as 63% of cases and 81% of deaths are children under the age of 15.

Deployment Emergency Fund

In response to this humanitarian crisis, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is releasing an additional €50,000 from its Emergency Relief Fund, on top of the €50,000 previously donated. These funds will be used for sensitization, monitoring and hygiene measures in the affected regions (DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya) to contain the spread of the virus. 

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders Sends employee to region

In addition, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is sending an operations manager to the Central African Republic who will strengthen coordination of aid on the ground.

The operations manager will oversee cooperation between local departments and international aid workers and monitoring of the crisis. She will ensure that humanitarian aid is implemented efficiently, security risks are closely monitored and finances are managed responsibly. This commitment is critical to effectively coordinating the response and providing continued support to the local population.

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
More than 14,000 reported infections and 511 deaths since the beginning of the year.

Mpox have been present in DRC for years, but the current outbreak is particularly severe with the spread to neighboring countries.

Limited access to testing in remote areas, so actual numbers may be much higher.

Spread to neighboring countries
In July, the first cases were reported in Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda.

The current outbreak in eastern DRC is caused by a new variant that causes more severe disease than previous variants.