Cape Town: More than 1,000 new cases of monkeypox have been reported in the African country of Congo in the past one month. At the same time, African health officials have demanded urgent vaccines to help fight the "growing" threat on the continent. The World Health Organization has already declared the outbreak in Africa a global emergency. The monkeypox virus belongs to the same family as smallpox, but it causes mild symptoms such as fever, chills and body aches. It is mostly spread through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual intercourse. People with more severe cases may develop boils on the face, hands, chest and genitals. 

How many people have died

Monkeypox cases have been confirmed in 12 of Africa's 54 countries, while Congo has reported the highest number of cases so far this year. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported that 94 percent or 17,794 of the total 18,910 cases in 2024 have been reported in Congo alone. According to the center, 541 people have died from the disease this year, of which 535 deaths have occurred in Congo alone. The figures are likely underestimated, as only one in five suspected cases in Congo is being investigated for 'monkeypox'. 

African countries have limited capabilities

Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, said that testing and surveillance capabilities are limited in many affected African countries. According to data provided by Africa CDC late on Tuesday night, out of 1,405 new cases in Africa in the last seven days, 1,030 cases were reported in Congo. In view of the increasing cases of 'monkeypox' in Africa and the identification of a new type of virus capable of spreading more easily in Congo, the World Health Organization declared it a global health emergency last week. 

30 lakh doses of vaccine are needed

The director-general of the Africa CDC said his organization had received promises of 215,000 doses of the anti-monkeypox vaccine from the European Union and vaccine maker Bavarian Nordic. The U.S. aid agency said it had donated 50,000 doses of the vaccine to Congo. Japan has also donated some vaccine doses to Congo. But Africa likely needs far more. Congo's health minister said his country alone needs 3 million doses of the vaccine to combat the outbreak, which has spread to at least four neighboring African countries. (AP)