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Rapid regional mobile laboratory response and genomic monkeypox virus (MPXV) surveillance in seven East African Community partner states, August 2024: preparedness activities for the ongoing outbreak
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Florian Gehre1,2,*
, Eric Nzeyimana2,*
, Hakim Idris Lagu2 , Emmanuel Achol2 , Julien A Nguinkal1
, Eric Kezakarayagwa3 , Théogene Ihorimbere3 , Néhémie Nzoyikorera3
, Francine Kabatesi3 , Marie-Noelle Uwineza3 , Abdi Roba4 , Millicent Nyakio Ndia4 , John Ndemi Kiiru4 , Gwokpan Awin Nykwec5 , Isaac Gatkuoth Chot Moun5 , Mamdouh A Aguer5 , James A Maror5 , Gregory Wani Dumo5 , Michael Losuba5 , Lul Lojok Deng5 , Neema Omari1,2 , Grace Ochido1,2 , Aryse Martins Melo1 , Peter Bernard Mtesigwa Mkama6,7 , Edna Mgimba7 , Monica Fredrick Francis7
, Lawrence A Mapunda7 , Alex Magesa6 , Nyambura Moremi6,7
, Godfrey Pimundu8 , Tonny Muyigi8 , Susan Ndidde Nabadda8 , Emmanuel Kabalisa9 , Isabelle Mukagatare9 , Daniel Mukadi-Bamuleka10
, Erick Ntambwe Kamangu11 , Jürgen May1,12,13
, Muna Affara1,2
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View Affiliations Hide AffiliationsAffiliations: 1 Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany 2 East African Community Secretariat (EAC), Arusha, Tanzania 3 National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Fight Against AIDS, Bujumbura, Burundi 4 National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya 5 National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Juba, South Sudan 6 Ministry of Health, Dodoma, Tanzania 7 National Public Health Laboratory, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 8 National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services (NHLDS), Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda 9 Biomedical Services Department, Biomedical Centre Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda 10 National Institute for Biomedical Research, INRB, Ministry of Health, Prevention and Social Foresight, Democratic Republic of the Congo 11 National Institute for Public Health (INSP), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo 12 German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany 13 Tropical Medicine II, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany* These authors contributed equally to this work and share first authorship.Correspondence:Florian Gehregehre bnitm.de
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View Citation Hide Citation
Citation style for this article: Gehre Florian, Nzeyimana Eric, Lagu Hakim Idris, Achol Emmanuel, Nguinkal Julien A, Kezakarayagwa Eric, Ihorimbere Théogene, Nzoyikorera Néhémie, Kabatesi Francine, Uwineza Marie-Noelle, Roba Abdi, Ndia Millicent Nyakio, Kiiru John Ndemi, Nykwec Gwokpan Awin, Chot Moun Isaac Gatkuoth, Aguer Mamdouh A, Maror James A, Dumo Gregory Wani, Losuba Michael, Deng Lul Lojok, Omari Neema, Ochido Grace, Melo Aryse Martins, Mtesigwa Mkama Peter Bernard, Mgimba Edna, Francis Monica Fredrick, Mapunda Lawrence A, Magesa Alex, Moremi Nyambura, Pimundu Godfrey, Muyigi Tonny, Nabadda Susan Ndidde, Kabalisa Emmanuel, Mukagatare Isabelle, Mukadi-Bamuleka Daniel, Kamangu Erick Ntambwe, May Jürgen, Affara Muna. Rapid regional mobile laboratory response and genomic monkeypox virus (MPXV) surveillance in seven East African Community partner states, August 2024: preparedness activities for the ongoing outbreak. Euro Surveill. 2024;29(35):pii=2400541. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.35.2400541 Received: 20 Aug 2024; Accepted: 29 Aug 2024
Abstract
The East African Community (EAC) is experiencing an unprecedented, emerging mpox outbreak since July 2024 in five of eight partner states. We highlight rapid regional response measures, initiated August 2024 coordinated by EAC: field deployment of six mobile laboratories in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan to high-risk areas, donation of one mobile laboratory to Democratic Republic of the Congo and genomic monkeypox virus (MPXV) surveillance support. These interventions aim to limit local mpox spread and support international containment.
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References
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