1 month ago
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Africa's top public health body declared what it termed a "public health emergency of continental security" on Tuesday over an outbreak of mpox that spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbouring countries.
Mpox is transmitted through close contact and causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. Most cases are mild but it can kill.
The outbreak in Congo began with the spread of an endemic strain, known as Clade I. But the new variant, known as Clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, particularly among children.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) warned last week that the viral infection's rate of spread was alarming.
It said that over 15,000 mpox cases and 461 deaths were reported on the continent this year so far, representing a 160% increase from the same period last year.
