The African Union’s health watchdog has officially endorsed a locally produced mpox diagnostic test developed in Morocco, calling it a “major milestone” in the fight against the mpox outbreak across the continent.
The announcement, made by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Thursday, comes three months after the organization declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency.
According to the CDC, the newly approved test is the first real-time PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test developed in Africa for the detection of mpox, a disease caused by the mpox virus.
“This major milestone is a significant step towards enhancing Africa’s self-sufficiency in public health and strengthening our capacity to respond to disease threats,” the Africa CDC said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
The PCR test developed by Morocco can quickly detect the DNA of the mpox pathogen in blood, saliva, or tissue samples, underscoring its reliability and efficacy.
The approval of the Moroccan-developed test is a critical addition to Africa’s efforts to combat the ongoing mpox outbreak, which has seen over 50,000 cases and nearly 1,100 deaths across the continent since the start of 2024. Central Africa has been particularly hard-hit, accounting for over 85% of cases and nearly all related fatalities.
The endorsement by the Africa CDC follows a significant move by the World Health Organization (WHO) last month, which approved the first globally recognized diagnostic test for mpox, known as the Alinity m MPXV assay. Manufactured by Abbott Molecular Inc., the test detects the mpox virus from swabs taken from human lesions.
Strengthening Africa’s Public Health Capacity
The endorsement of Morocco’s mpox test aligns with the African Union’s broader initiative to enhance the continent’s public health infrastructure. The aim is to reduce dependency on external medical supplies and improve the ability of African countries to detect and respond to health emergencies swiftly.
“This is in line with our continental effort to bolster the self-sufficiency of African public health systems,” said Dr. John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa CDC.
“It is essential that we strengthen local capacities for diagnostics and surveillance to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like mpox.”
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease transmitted to humans through infected animals but can also spread through human-to-human contact.
It causes symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and the formation of large, boil-like skin lesions. In some cases, mpox can be fatal, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.
Current Situation and Ongoing Surveillance
Despite the endorsement of diagnostic tests, mpox remains a major public health concern in Africa, especially in Central Africa, where the virus is most prevalent.
As of now, no new cases have been reported in Kenya since July 22, though authorities remain vigilant. Kenya recently confirmed a single mpox case and has intensified surveillance at its border points to prevent the spread of the disease.
The African Union, in collaboration with the Africa CDC, continues to focus on surveillance, diagnostic capacity building, and public health education across the continent in order to control the outbreak and mitigate its impact.