EAC warns of Mpox outbreak in the region

TANZANIA—The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat has urged its Partner States to enhance public education on safeguarding against and preventing the spread of Monkeypox, also known as Mpox.

This call for action comes in response to recent reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicating ongoing outbreaks of Mpox in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Burundi has confirmed three cases of Mpox in Bujumbura and Isare, which national laboratories and the WHO verified.

The Burundian health ministry has reassured the public that robust measures are in place to manage the situation. Affected patients are receiving treatment and showing signs of improvement.

Burundi shares borders with the DRC, Rwanda, and Tanzania, while the DRC borders five EAC Partner States: Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and South Sudan. This regional interconnectedness heightens the urgency for preventive measures.

However, this case differs from that of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has had a more severe outbreak and has reported over 21,000 cases and more than 1,000 deaths as of 2022.

The situation deteriorated in 2023, with 14,626 cases and 654 deaths reported. By the end of May 2024, the DRC had reported 7,851 cases and 384 deaths.

Alarmingly, children under the age of five account for 39% of those infected and nearly two-thirds (62%) of deaths. Additionally, health officials have discovered a new strain of the virus in one area of the DRC.

In response to this epidemic, the EAC published public advice to reduce Mpox transmission.

The alert calls for avoiding contact with sick people or animals, wearing face masks while engaging with symptomatic people, and using personal protective equipment when caring for confirmed or suspected cases.

Furthermore, the public is encouraged to wash their hands frequently with soap and water or use alcohol-based sanitizers, periodically launder clothing and bedding at high temperatures, ensure the meat is fully cooked, and avoid touching bush meat or sick animals.

Individuals suspecting Mpox infection should self-isolate and seek medical advice immediately.

While vaccination is available, the World Health Organisation advises it, particularly for high-risk individuals.

Treatment is centered on symptom reduction, particularly pain management.

Commenting on the outbreak, EAC Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure, Productive, Social, and Political Sectors, Hon. Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, emphasized the critical need for preventive measures to curb the spread of Mpox.

Hon. Malueth underscored that EAC Partner States must provide comprehensive information about the disease and implement preventive strategies.

Effective risk communication, community engagement, and enhanced surveillance are essential for managing the outbreak.

 To address the situation, the EAC intends to hold a meeting of health specialists. The EAC, with help from the German government through GIZ and the Africa CDC, has formed a pool of swiftly deployable experts to prepare for potential pandemics and epidemics.

This effort is supplemented by GIZ’s assistance in improving health infrastructure in ten border areas with the DRC and other EAC member countries.

This assistance comprises handwashing stations and health promotion initiatives encouraging protective health and hygiene behaviors, reaching 700,000 people.

The first phase of the WASH project, which ran from 2021 to 2022, had a substantial impact, affecting around 5 million people in six EAC Partner States.

Mpox, originally discovered in monkeys in 1958, was first identified in humans in 1970. The virus spreads from animals to humans and between people through close contact, contaminated objects, and respiratory droplets.

Symptoms include a skin rash or lesions, fever, severe headache, muscle aches, back pain, general body weakness, and swollen lymph nodes. They typically last two to four weeks. While most cases are mild, severe cases and fatalities can occur.