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A new type of ampox called “Clade 1B” appears to be more deadly than previous forms and can spread more easily from person to person. Case fatality rates are up to 10%. (Read this also | World Health Organization declares ampox a global health emergency,
Ampox, formally known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus.
Clade 1B ampox was first detected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Central Africa, where it began spreading in September 2023.
Since then, infections have been reported in Cameroon, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Rwanda. In early August 2024, new cases in Uganda and Kenya were also found to be associated with clade 1b.
The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared the spread of ampox a global public health emergency, the second time in two years the organization has placed the virus in that category.
In a post on the social media platform X in early August, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that because “the deadly strain of ampox has spread to several African countries,” the WHO, Africa CDC and local governments are “scaling up the response to prevent transmission of the disease.”
According to Africa CDC data, a total of 37,583 cases of ampox and 1,451 deaths have been reported in 15 African countries between the beginning of 2022 and 28 July 2024.
What are the Mpox clades?
Mpox is divided into two distinct clades: Clade I and Clade II.
The more virulent and deadly Clade I is endemic to the Congo Basin of central Africa. Clade II is endemic to western Africa.
Clade II is the type that caused the global outbreak that began in 2022. Infection with clade II ampox is less severe, with over 99.9% of infected people surviving the disease.
The Clade I strain causes more severe illness and death, with a case fatality rate of about 3%. But DRC health experts say the strain Clade 1B could cause a case fatality rate of up to 10% in children.
Clade 1b species cause skin rashes over the entire body, while other species cause lesions and rashes limited to the mouth, face, and genitals.
Both ampox clades spread through close contact with an infected person. This includes talking and breathing near an infected person – through so-called “droplets”, as we learned during the Covid pandemic.
Ampox can also be sexually transmitted — in fact, sex is one of its main transmission routes — but health experts do not consider the disease a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Clade 1b mortality is high in DRC children
The DRC has been hit particularly hard by cases of clade 1B ampox. More than 13,000 people have been infected.
Most deaths (85%) occurred in children under the age of 15 – they accounted for 68% of cases. The disease is more common in males, who accounted for 73% of all reported cases.
Most countries have not yet specified the strain causing suspected ampox infections.
Ampox status in Africa ‘high risk’
Although ampox is moderately contagious and dangerous, its mortality rate on the African continent has been much higher than in the rest of the world.
“Despite safe and effective vaccines and antiviral treatments against ampox, these are not readily available to most people.” [African Union member states]”Therefore, we have listed the risk level as high,” the Africa CDC wrote in a report dated July 30, 2024.
From January to the end of July 2024, a total of 14,250 cases (2,745 confirmed; 11,505 suspected) and 456 deaths were reported from 10 African countries.
This represents an increase of 160% and 19% in the number of cases and deaths in 2024, respectively, compared to the same period in 2023.
According to the report, the DRC is the hotspot for Mpox cases, accounting for 96.3% of all cases and 97% of all deaths this year.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) stated on July 29, 2024 that the risk to the European region is “very low”.
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