ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia 

Seeing mpox as a health issue solely affecting Africa "is both wrong and inappropriate," the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said on Tuesday.  

Mpox is "a major health issue primarily in Africa but also globally," Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya highlighted in a virtual briefing. 

"Therefore, Africa CDC has, for the first time, set up a continental Incident Management Team and a comprehensive continental response plan," he added.

Kaseya also told reporters that the Africa CDC was actively collaborating with African Union member countries, heads of state, and various stakeholders to spearhead a unified response against the virus, working towards a robust continental response mechanism.

As of Monday, the Africa CDC reported a total of 22,863 mpox cases across 13 African Union member states. The numbers include 3,641 confirmed cases, 19,222 suspected cases, and 622 deaths.

Kaseya also urged member states to strengthen their surveillance mechanisms, emphasizing that it would help organize a well-informed response across the continent.

He added that the Africa CDC is working to secure vaccines to contain the spread of the virus, with 250,000 doses already secured and around 165,000 more in the process of procurement.

Central Africa remains the most affected region, with 20,719 cases and 618 deaths, followed by smaller outbreaks in East, Southern, and West Africa.

Gabon is the latest country to report an outbreak, confirming its first case on Aug. 22, involving a traveler returning from Uganda.

While North Africa has not reported any cases, growing numbers elsewhere on the continent underscore the urgent need for coordinated public health efforts, according to the director.