Urgent Health Alerts: Mpox in Uganda and Marburg Cases in Rwanda

The mpox outbreak in Uganda poses significant concern, with 830 cases reported across 19 regions. The outbreak began in Nakasongola Prison, with recent clusters emerging near the DRC border. Meanwhile, Rwanda has reported four new cases of Marburg, raising its total to 66 cases and indicating a high fatality rate. Vaccination efforts are ongoing in both nations, with nearly 900,000 mpox vaccine doses distributed and additional Marburg vaccines dispatched for clinical trials.

The mpox outbreak in Uganda is alarming, with approximately 830 confirmed cases across 19 regions, as reported by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The initial case emerged in Nakasongola Prison, and the illness has since spread near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and among fishing communities, raising significant concerns, per Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, the mpox lead at the Africa CDC. In the past week alone, Uganda has reported 61 new mpox cases, alongside one fatality. In contrast to the DRC, where children account for a significant proportion of mpox cases, only 12.5% of cases in Uganda involve children, while adult males represent 63% of infections, with the dominant strain being clade 1b, known for its potential sexual transmission. Additionally, Mauritius has reported its inaugural mpox case, and the UK has confirmed a clade 1b case in a traveler from a country with existing mpox cases. The overall number of cases in Africa increased by 2,766 in the last week, primarily driven by outbreaks in the DRC and Burundi. Efforts to vaccinate against mpox have seen nearly 900,000 doses distributed across nine nations, with vaccination campaigns succeeding in the DRC and Rwanda. However, Nigeria has postponed its upcoming vaccination initiative. Simultaneously, Rwanda has confirmed four new cases of Marburg virus disease over the last fortnight, involving a health worker and three contacts of previous patients. The illness has claimed two lives in the same period. To date, Rwanda has recorded 66 Marburg cases and 15 deaths, with a devastating case-fatality rate of nearly 23%. Nearly 6,000 individuals have been tested for the virus, and approximately 1,600 frontline workers have been vaccinated. The source of the Marburg outbreak has been traced to fruit bats in a mine near Kigali, leading to the infection of the index case. In response to the ongoing crisis, the Sabin Vaccine Institute has dispatched 1,000 doses of its investigational vaccine to Rwanda for clinical trial use. Rwanda has revised its vaccination strategy, opting to vaccinate all participants in the trial, as indicated by the description of the protocol: half of the at-risk individuals, including mine workers, will receive the vaccine immediately, while the others will receive it after a 21-day period for comparison.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the mpox virus, which is endemic to central and west Africa. The current outbreak in Uganda has raised alarms due to its progression in various regions, with significant proportions of adult men affected. Meanwhile, Marburg virus disease, a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus, has also seen a concerning resurgence in Rwanda, prompting vaccination efforts among frontline workers and potentially exposed individuals. The simultaneous challenges of mpox and Marburg in the East African region highlight the importance of public health measures and vaccination campaigns in containing these viral outbreaks.

In summary, the outbreaks of mpox in Uganda and the resurgence of Marburg in Rwanda present significant public health challenges. With hundreds of cases reported and vaccination efforts ongoing, it is crucial for health authorities to continue monitoring, managing vaccinations, and communicating effectively to mitigate the spread of these diseases in the region. The partnership between local governments and international health organizations is essential to combating these health threats.

Original Source: healthpolicy-watch.news