Sierra Leone Declares Mpox Emergency Amid New Cases
Sierra Leone Government Responds to Growing Threat with Public Health Measures and Enhanced Surveillance
- Two confirmed cases of mpox lead to the emergency declaration
- Health Ministry outlines strategies to control spread and improve surveillance
- Sierra Leone’s past Ebola crisis adds urgency to the response efforts
Sierra Leone has declared a public health emergency after confirming two cases of mpox, a viral disease related to smallpox.
The country’s Ministry of Health issued the emergency declaration on Tuesday, outlining critical strategies to control the spread, strengthen surveillance, and break transmission chains.
The announcement follows the confirmation of the first mpox case in Sierra Leone on January 10.
The disease, marked by fever and a characteristic rash, caused global concern during the 2022 outbreaks, which affected over 70 countries.
Mpox was designated a public health emergency by the World Health Organization in August 2024.
While the Democratic Republic of Congo remains the hardest-hit country in Africa, with more than 49,000 suspected cases and 1,100 deaths since January 2024, Sierra Leone’s recent outbreak underscores ongoing public health threats.
This new emergency also brings back memories of the country’s 2014 Ebola crisis.
