WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 22 : 23 - 29 May 2022
Data as reported by: 17:00; 29 May 2022
...
Monkeypox African region
1 408 cases
66 Death
4.7% CFR
EVENT DESCRIPTION
Human monkeypox cases continue to be reported across the
African region since the beginning of the year. As of 26 May
2022, there have been 1 408 suspected cases with 66 deaths
(case fatality ratio 4.7%) reported from seven countries across
the African region: Cameroon (28 cases with two deaths), Central
African Republic (17 cases with two deaths), Congo (seven cases
with three deaths), Democratic Republic of the Congo (1 284
cases with 58 deaths), Liberia (four cases with zero deaths),
Nigeria (66 cases with one death), and Sierra Leone (two cases
with zero deaths).
A total of 44 cases have been confirmed for monkeypox virus
infection across five countries, namely, Cameroon (three), Central
African Republic (eight), Congo (two), Democratic Republic of
the Congo (10), and Nigeria (21).
Since its first detection in the region in 1970 in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, cases of human monkeypox were reported
sporadically until 2017. Cases spiked in 2017, with a total of 2
828 suspected cases with 69 deaths reported from five countries
and continue to increase annually with a peak of 6 368 suspected
cases with 231 deaths reported from seven countries in 2020.
The reasons for these spikes are not fully known but may be due
to deforestation and the encroachment of people into the habitats
of monkeypox animal hosts. Cases dropped by 49% (n= 3 240)
in 2021 compared to the previous year.
Since 2017, a cumulative total of 23 428 suspected cases with
589 deaths (CFR 2.5%) have been reported from seven countries
across the region. Of these, 409 were laboratory-confirmed for
monkeypox virus infection. The Democratic Republic of the
Congo accounts for the highest burden, reporting 96% (n=22
379) of the cumulative suspected cases since 2017.
Suspected cases of human monkeypox in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo have been reported from 87 health zones
across 18 provinces since the beginning of 2022.
From 1 January – 8 May 2022, a total of 1 284 suspected cases
with 58 deaths (CFR 4.5%) were reported. The most affected
provinces accounting for 71% of the total cases reported in 2022
are Sankuru (n=468, 36.4%), Tshopo (n=169, 13.2%), Ecuador
(n=168, 13.1%), and Tshuapa (n=108, 8.4%). A total of 10 cases
out of 19 sampled were confirmed positive for monkeypox virus
infection.
In Nigeria, 66 suspected cases with one death have been reported
from nine states. Of these, 21 cases were laboratory-confirmed
from the following states: Adamawa (5), Bayelsa (2), Cross River
(2), Delta (2), Federal Capital Territory (2), Imo (1), Kano (2),
Lagos (4), and River (1). One death was recorded in a 40-year-old
male with renal co-morbidity.
See the dashboard below for other countries reporting outbreaks
of monkeypox in the African region.
Most outbreaks across affected countries have occurred in
hard-to-reach forest communities. An increase in the number of
districts reporting cases since 2017 has been observed, indicating
a geographic spread of the disease.
Results of genomic analysis showed two clades, West and Central
Africa, of the monkeypox virus across the African region. While
the Central African clade has been exclusively found in countries of
the Central African belt, the West African clade has been identified
in West Africa and parts of Cameroon. The Central African clade
has been associated with higher virulence than the West African
clade.
The ongoing outbreaks in Congo, Cameroon, Central African
Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria are
unrelated to the events of monkeypox reported from 23 countries
across the European, American, Eastern Mediterranean, and
Western Pacific Regions. Although epidemiological investigations
are ongoing, no travel or exposure links to areas reporting
monkeypox cases in Africa have so far been established for the
majority of cases reported outside of the African region. The
sudden and unexpected appearance of monkeypox simultaneously
in several countries outside of the African region suggests that
there may have been undetected transmission for possibly an
extended period of time.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS
All affected countries have established One-Health
committees to coordinate partners and multi-sectoral
response to the monkeypox outbreaks.
In Nigeria, the National Multisectoral Emergency Operations
Centre has been activated at level 2 to coordinate response
to the outbreak.
As part of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response
(IDSR) strategy, all affected countries have included
monkeypox among the list of priority diseases for immediate
notification.
Surveillance for improved case detection is being
strengthened through training of health workers. In Nigeria,
enhanced surveillance for monkeypox is being conducted in
high burden states such as Delta, Bayelsa, and River states.
Capacity of diagnostic tests are available at national reference
laboratories in Cameroon, Central African Republic,
Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria.
Rapid response teams are being mobilized in Cameroon,
Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria to conduct
detailed epidemiological investigation of monkeypox
outbreak events.
Identified cases are being provided clinical care. In the Central
African Republic, a treatment centre in Mbaïki district, one of
the hotspot areas for monkeypox, has been setup to provide
clinical care for cases.
...
View/Open
OEW22-2329052022.pdf (2.568Mb)
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 22 : 23 - 29 May 2022
Data as reported by: 17:00; 29 May 2022
...
Monkeypox African region
1 408 cases
66 Death
4.7% CFR
EVENT DESCRIPTION
Human monkeypox cases continue to be reported across the
African region since the beginning of the year. As of 26 May
2022, there have been 1 408 suspected cases with 66 deaths
(case fatality ratio 4.7%) reported from seven countries across
the African region: Cameroon (28 cases with two deaths), Central
African Republic (17 cases with two deaths), Congo (seven cases
with three deaths), Democratic Republic of the Congo (1 284
cases with 58 deaths), Liberia (four cases with zero deaths),
Nigeria (66 cases with one death), and Sierra Leone (two cases
with zero deaths).
A total of 44 cases have been confirmed for monkeypox virus
infection across five countries, namely, Cameroon (three), Central
African Republic (eight), Congo (two), Democratic Republic of
the Congo (10), and Nigeria (21).
Since its first detection in the region in 1970 in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, cases of human monkeypox were reported
sporadically until 2017. Cases spiked in 2017, with a total of 2
828 suspected cases with 69 deaths reported from five countries
and continue to increase annually with a peak of 6 368 suspected
cases with 231 deaths reported from seven countries in 2020.
The reasons for these spikes are not fully known but may be due
to deforestation and the encroachment of people into the habitats
of monkeypox animal hosts. Cases dropped by 49% (n= 3 240)
in 2021 compared to the previous year.
Since 2017, a cumulative total of 23 428 suspected cases with
589 deaths (CFR 2.5%) have been reported from seven countries
across the region. Of these, 409 were laboratory-confirmed for
monkeypox virus infection. The Democratic Republic of the
Congo accounts for the highest burden, reporting 96% (n=22
379) of the cumulative suspected cases since 2017.
Suspected cases of human monkeypox in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo have been reported from 87 health zones
across 18 provinces since the beginning of 2022.
From 1 January – 8 May 2022, a total of 1 284 suspected cases
with 58 deaths (CFR 4.5%) were reported. The most affected
provinces accounting for 71% of the total cases reported in 2022
are Sankuru (n=468, 36.4%), Tshopo (n=169, 13.2%), Ecuador
(n=168, 13.1%), and Tshuapa (n=108, 8.4%). A total of 10 cases
out of 19 sampled were confirmed positive for monkeypox virus
infection.
In Nigeria, 66 suspected cases with one death have been reported
from nine states. Of these, 21 cases were laboratory-confirmed
from the following states: Adamawa (5), Bayelsa (2), Cross River
(2), Delta (2), Federal Capital Territory (2), Imo (1), Kano (2),
Lagos (4), and River (1). One death was recorded in a 40-year-old
male with renal co-morbidity.
See the dashboard below for other countries reporting outbreaks
of monkeypox in the African region.
Most outbreaks across affected countries have occurred in
hard-to-reach forest communities. An increase in the number of
districts reporting cases since 2017 has been observed, indicating
a geographic spread of the disease.
Results of genomic analysis showed two clades, West and Central
Africa, of the monkeypox virus across the African region. While
the Central African clade has been exclusively found in countries of
the Central African belt, the West African clade has been identified
in West Africa and parts of Cameroon. The Central African clade
has been associated with higher virulence than the West African
clade.
The ongoing outbreaks in Congo, Cameroon, Central African
Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria are
unrelated to the events of monkeypox reported from 23 countries
across the European, American, Eastern Mediterranean, and
Western Pacific Regions. Although epidemiological investigations
are ongoing, no travel or exposure links to areas reporting
monkeypox cases in Africa have so far been established for the
majority of cases reported outside of the African region. The
sudden and unexpected appearance of monkeypox simultaneously
in several countries outside of the African region suggests that
there may have been undetected transmission for possibly an
extended period of time.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS
All affected countries have established One-Health
committees to coordinate partners and multi-sectoral
response to the monkeypox outbreaks.
In Nigeria, the National Multisectoral Emergency Operations
Centre has been activated at level 2 to coordinate response
to the outbreak.
As part of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response
(IDSR) strategy, all affected countries have included
monkeypox among the list of priority diseases for immediate
notification.
Surveillance for improved case detection is being
strengthened through training of health workers. In Nigeria,
enhanced surveillance for monkeypox is being conducted in
high burden states such as Delta, Bayelsa, and River states.
Capacity of diagnostic tests are available at national reference
laboratories in Cameroon, Central African Republic,
Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria.
Rapid response teams are being mobilized in Cameroon,
Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria to conduct
detailed epidemiological investigation of monkeypox
outbreak events.
Identified cases are being provided clinical care. In the Central
African Republic, a treatment centre in Mbaïki district, one of
the hotspot areas for monkeypox, has been setup to provide
clinical care for cases.
...
View/Open
OEW22-2329052022.pdf (2.568Mb)
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