Mpox: Africa pleads with international community not to issue travel bans
Africa's public health agency has made a plea to the international community not to issue travel bans on countries battling the mpox virus.
The Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Jean Kaseya, has reiterated President Cyril Ramaphosa's call for international solidarity.
He updated the world on the continent's mpox numbers in a briefing in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday.
"Please don't punish Africa. We heard that you want to apply for travel bans and restrictions. When you had an outbreak in 2022, we didn't apply for travel bans for you. We pledged solidarity, and even when we didn't get any doses of vaccines, we continued to support you."
READ: Africa CDC aims to roll out mpox vaccine ‘by next week’
He says there have been almost 19,000 cases since the beginning of January.
They include South Africa's 24 reported cases, with three deaths.
"There is almost an increase of 1,400 cases in one week. We have also increased in terms of death even if it is not well reflected, but we have 24 deaths in addition if we compare with the previous week."
The CDC and World Health Organisation declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency last week.
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