The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control has reported an ongoing outbreak of monkeypox across several West African nations, recording 44 confirmed cases and one fatality by the end of the 33rd epidemiological week of 2024.
The nations most impacted by this outbreak include Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Ghana.
These countries have experienced the highest incidence rates, contributing to growing concerns in the region.
The ECOWAS Centre, in a report released on August 16 and circulated the following day, has raised alarms about the ongoing monkeypox crisis, also known as Mpox.
This viral infection, caused by the monkeypox virus, shares similarities with smallpox, though it generally presents less severe symptoms.
Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease, primarily transmitted to humans through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or skin lesions of infected animals.
It can also spread from person to person via respiratory droplets, contact with contaminated body fluids, or through infected surfaces.
As of mid-August 2024, the ECOWAS Centre has been closely monitoring the situation not only in West Africa but also on a broader continental and global scale.
The latest figures indicate that since the start of the year, the region has documented 24 cases in Nigeria, 11 in Côte d’Ivoire, 5 in Liberia, and 4 in Ghana, along with one death.
On a wider scale, the African continent is grappling with a significant surge in monkeypox cases and fatalities.
 This year alone, the continent has reported 37,583 cases and 1,451 deaths, signifying a serious public health challenge. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is bearing the brunt of this outbreak, with the majority of cases and deaths occurring there.
The first half of 2024 saw a dramatic increase in monkeypox cases across Africa, with a reported 14,250 cases and 456 deaths—a stark rise compared to the same period in the previous year.
The DRC remains the epicenter of this crisis, with a case fatality rate of 3.2%.
In June 2024, the African region reported 567 new cases, further highlighting the virus’s relentless spread.
In response, the ECOWAS Centre has called for immediate action to escalate response efforts, emphasizing the need for public awareness campaigns to educate communities about the prevention and symptoms of monkeypox.
The Centre also highlighted the importance of strengthening surveillance systems for early detection and rapid response, alongside robust case management strategies to curb the virus’s transmission.
Given the cross-border nature of the outbreak, the ECOWAS Centre has stressed the need for enhanced cooperation among neighboring countries.
Effective control measures will require coordinated surveillance, data sharing, and joint efforts to manage outbreaks across borders.
