Health authorities in the Maldives are closely monitoring the ongoing spread of Mpox, also known as monkeypox, in some African countries. The disease, first identified by scientists in 1958 during outbreaks in monkeys, has raised global health concerns.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared the increasing spread of mpox in Africa a global health emergency, underscoring the potential for the virus to cross international borders. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made this announcement following a meeting of the U.N. health agency’s emergency committee.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also labelled mpox a public health emergency on the continent. The Maldives’ Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that it is currently assessing the threat posed by the disease within its borders.
“HPA is currently conducting a risk assessment. We will announce precautionary measures that need to be implemented due to the disease,” the agency said in a post to X. So far, no cases have been reported in the Maldives, an HPA official confirmed to local media outlet Mihaaru.
Africa has witnessed over 14,000 mpox cases and 524 deaths this year, surpassing last year’s figures. The majority of cases and fatalities—more than 96 percent—are concentrated in Congo. Scientists are concerned about a new, more easily transmissible disease strain in Congo.
In 2022, mpox was confirmed to spread via sexual contact, triggering outbreaks in over 70 countries worldwide. Recent data from the Africa CDC indicates mpox detection in at least 13 African countries, with a 160% increase in cases compared to the same period last year.
East African countries—Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda—reported their first mpox cases this year, all linked to the Congo epidemic. The Ivory Coast and South Africa have also experienced outbreaks, albeit of a less dangerous variant.
While the 2022 global outbreak primarily affected gay and bisexual men through close contact, Africa now sees children under 15 accounting for over 70 percent of mpox cases and 85 percent of deaths in Congo. WHO’s Tedros emphasised the need for a tailored and comprehensive response to address varying modes of transmission and risk levels across different countries.