Africa CDC - Media Advisory: Special Press Briefing on the Mpox Outbreak and Other Health Emergencies in Africa Thursday, September 12, 2024 - 9am ET

[sharon sanders]

INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

WHAT: Weekly engagement with the media to provide updates on the Mpox outbreak situation in DRC and other affected Member States. Africa CDC Director General, H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, will share the latest insights and urgent actions being taken to combat the outbreak.

WHEN: Thursday, 12[SUP]th[/SUP] September 2024

TIME: 16:00hrs – 17:00hrs | East Africa Time (GMT +3)

15:00hrs – 16:00hrs | Southern Africa Time (GMT+2)

14:00hrs – 15:00hrs | Central Africa Countries (GMT+1)

WHERE: Virtually, via zoom link below:

https://africacdc-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1EZj8H_8SHSs412iik_BfA

SPEAKER: H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General, Africa CDC

MODERATOR: Margaret Muigai Edwin, Director of Communication & Public Information, Africa CDC

LANGUAGES: The briefing will be available in English and French through interpretation.

Media Q&A: Journalists may submit questions to Africa CDC during the briefing by sending their full name and the name of their media organization to WhatsApp at (+251 945 502 310). Journalists can also ask questions live via Zoom.

You can also follow the briefing using the link below:

Live stream: https://bit.ly/3To0xgF

Media inquiries:

Margaret Muigai Edwin, Director of Communication & Public Information Directorate: Africa CDC | Tel: +255 742 635 592 | Email: edwinm@africacdc.org

About Africa CDC

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a continental autonomous Public Health agency of the African Union which supports Member States in their efforts to strengthen health systems and improve surveillance, emergency response, prevention and control of diseases. Learn more at: http://www.africacdc.org​

https://africacdc.org/news-item/spe...tbreak-and-otherhealth-emergencies-in-africa/

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Last week there were a lot of technical problems.

 

[sharon sanders]

Mpox -

Dr. Kaseya:

Thanks to US for additional 50k vaccine doses. Total from US = 60k with 50k to the DRC and 10k to Nigeria. But need 1 million doses.

A lot of comments about vaccine need.

ALL CLADES:

26,543 probable + confirmed cases in 2024 thru epi week 35.
5,731 confirmed cases,
724 deaths

In epi week 35:
3,160 new cases,
434 confirmed,
107 deaths

Males - in confirmed cases = 63%
Children younger than = 41%

Testing rate = 52.9%
Test + = 40.8%


Number of countries affected = 14 - from 4 regions - only North Africa region does not have any 2024 documented cases or deaths.

Risk factors: cross border movement, malnutrition, unprotected sexual practices.


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Q - Any mother to child trans in utero? What is risk in large cities?

Dr. K - Yes, evidence of mother to child transmission is occuring in utero. Do not know % of mother to child in utero transmission. Breast feeding and touching is a factor in transmission to babies. Kinshasa is a city of more than 10 million. More cases have occured in Kinshasa. Gov. is stressing prevention actions among population. If can control hot spots will be able to move onto other areas.

Q - Any breakdown of clades? In children?

Another doctor - from DRC: Using lab techniques for mpox. Clade 1 in central Africa region. More cases of 1b in DRC lab results. Mostly from South Kivu.

Dr. K - Need more testing capacity. Clade 1b mostly in Burundi, didn't clearly hear one country, Eastern DRC - in children.

More testing and $$$ questions. Basically answers are need more $$$ and to increase testing capacity.

Need two doses per person to protect African people.

 

[sharon sanders]

Thanks to media. Mpox is not just a Africa issue. It is a global issue. The next pandemic is not about if, it is about when quoting Dr. Tedros.
Will continue to support member states.

Will meet next Thursday. A regularly scheduled event now.