Ethiopia: Mpox Cases Confirmed in Addis Abeba, Six Regions: IMC Reports
Addis Abeba– Confirmed cases of Mpox have been reported in the capital, Addis Abeba, and six other regions of Ethiopia, according to a situation update released by the International Medical Corps (IMC) on June 13.
As of June 10, 18 cases had been verified across Addis Abeba, Amhara, Central Ethiopia, Harari, Oromia, Sidama, and Southwest regions, with one reported fatality–bringing the case fatality rate to 5.6%, IMC said.
IMC reported that the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO), has activated the national Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) “to coordinate the national response.” According to the report, “an incident action plan has been finalized to guide interventions,” and technical officers have been deployed to support local task forces at the woreda level.
IMC stated it is “actively supporting the national response” in coordination with EPHI and both national and regional health clusters. The organization said it has “developed and [is] implementing a comprehensive Mpox epidemic preparedness and response plan,” and has disseminated Mpox-related educational materials to 13 health facilities and two internally displaced persons (IDP) sites. In addition, it said 47 health professionals in northwest and west Tigray have been trained on Mpox-specific protocols.
Mpox was first reported in Ethiopia in a case involving a 27-day-old infant in Moyale town, Oromia region, as announced by the Ministry of Health and EPHI on May 26.
Last week, the Amhara Regional Public Health Institute confirmed two new cases of Mpox–one in Bahir Dar, the regional capital, and another in the border town of Metema.
Belay Bezabh, Director General of the Institute, said both patients had “received appropriate treatment” and are currently “recovering.” He described Mpox as “a disease that can be cured quickly if appropriate precautions are taken,” and urged the public to “maintain personal hygiene” to reduce the risk of infection, according to remarks aired by state broadcaster ETV.
In an update released on June 15, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, confirmed that the total number of mpox cases had risen to 19. The ministry reported no new cases or deaths on that date, adding that six cases remained active, 12 patients had recovered, and no severe cases had been recorded. A total of 175 laboratory tests had been conducted as of that day.
Crédito: Link de origem