Confronting the surge of Mpox in West Africa

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a deadly zoonotic disease. The first human case of Mpox was identified in the 1970s [1]. The disease, however, did not receive much attention until it was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the WHO in July 2022 [1]. Since then, it has continued to spread globally, with nearly 93,000 laboratory-confirmed cases and 171 deaths reported from 116 countries as of September 2022. In Africa alone, 2,126 cases and 22 deaths have been reported [1]. In West Africa, the recent surge in the West African clade II Mpox is a significant concern, prompting governments to strengthen their surveillance systems and adopt various response measures.