MPOX: 1,100 mpox deaths recorded across Africa – CDC

Some 1,100 people across Africa have died from mpox, the African Union’s health agency said Thursday, warning that the epidemic was “going out of control” without further action.

In all, 42,000 cases have been recorded in Africa since January, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said, with cases reported for the first time in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

This brings to 18 the number of African countries where mpox has been officially detected this year, it said.

“Mpox is going out of control if we don’t act,” Africa CDC head Jean Kaseya told an online media briefing.

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“I’m so sad to say we now have more than 1,000 deaths due to mpox, as you can see this week, week 40, we have 1,100 deaths reported in total.”