Mpox saw an outbreak from 2022-2023 in multiple countries and was declared a global emergency. The current outbreak is believed to have been caused primarily by new variants considered to be more virulent than the one responsible for the 2022 outbreak. Mpox transmission occurs through close contact with infected animals, exposure to bodily fluids, and skin-to-skin contact, including sexual activity.
Since the beginning of 2024, more than 15,000 cases and more than 500 deaths have been reported, with most of the transmission focused in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and neighboring countries in central Africa.
Outside of the continent, cases of the newer variant of mpox have also been recorded in several countries.
The current outbreak has had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations, including children. According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children under 18 comprise approximately 70% of cases in the DRC, with those under 15 accounting for 85% of fatalities. Low immunity to the disease and prevalence of malnutrition could put children at increased risk. Also at heightened risk are displaced people in refugee camps in eastern DRC due to increased transmission risks associated with overcrowding and inadequate sanitation, and healthcare workers, particularly in areas with limited access to personal protective equipment.
Direct Relief has received a donation of 50,000 doses of a vaccine for mpox and is prepared to send the vaccines and other aid to health facilities and organizations in impacted countries that include the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and others. Direct Relief is working with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other organizations to coordinate in-country storage, logistics, and distribution of the vaccines.
