The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has issued an urgent appeal for global assistance as the Mpox virus, previously known as monkeypox, spreads rapidly across Africa. Symptoms of the virus include high fever, severe headaches, muscle pain, swollen glands, chills, joint pain, and fatigue.
In a statement released yesterday, ECOWAS highlighted a sharp increase in Mpox cases across several African nations, with Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ghana among the hardest hit.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also expressed concerns about the virus’s potential to spread beyond the continent if not swiftly contained. “We are witnessing an unprecedented spread of Mpox in our region,” said Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, a senior health official with ECOWAS. He emphasized the need for immediate, coordinated action from the international community to prevent the epidemic.
Mpox has been declared a global health emergency. This declaration, under Article 3, Paragraph F of the Africa CDC Statutes, empowers the organization to lead and coordinate responses to major health emergencies. So far, approximately 100,000 cases have been confirmed in over 100 countries, with 18.7 percent of the cases coming from Africa. Of these, 96 percent are concentrated in the Congo alone.
ECOWAS is urging member states to enhance surveillance, improve public health communication, and accelerate vaccination campaigns wherever possible.
The rapid spread of Mpox is particularly concerning as it coincides with many African nations still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The combined challenges posed by Mpox and other infectious diseases could push fragile healthcare systems to the brink in most African Nations.
While the virus has the potential to spread globally, experts believe the risk remains moderate and is unlikely to cause major disruptions to travel or trade at this stage.
