Mpox no longer a continental emergency in Africa
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday declared an end to mpox as a continental public health emergency, more than a year after the status was first announced.
The decision followed a recommendation by the Africa CDC Emergency Consultative Group, which advises the agency’s leadership on mpox-related matters, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
“I hereby announce the lifting of mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security. This decision reflects Africa’s growing capacity to lead complex public health responses, grounded in strong political leadership, regional solidarity, and effective international partnerships,” said Jean Kaseya, director general of Africa CDC, in a statement.
Africa CDC initially declared mpox a continental health emergency in August 2024 after a sharp surge in cases across the region.
In 2024, at least 80,276 suspected cases and 1,340 deaths were reported, representing more than a fivefold increase in cases and a doubling of deaths compared with the same period in 2023.
The emergency declaration helped mobilize coordinated action and funding to contain the outbreak. As a result, international partners raised more than $1 billion in financing, strengthened community-based surveillance, expanded laboratory and genomic sequencing capacity, and deployed over 5 million mpox vaccine doses across 16 countries.
According to Africa CDC, these efforts produced measurable results. Between peak transmission periods in early 2025 and late 2025, suspected cases declined by 40%, while confirmed cases fell by 60%.
The case fatality rate among suspected cases dropped from 2.6% to 0.6%, reflecting improvements in detection, clinical care, coordination and accountability across response systems.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo was the hardest-hit nation, accounting for 96% of reported cases and 97% of deaths.
Kaseya stressed that lifting the emergency status does not mean mpox has been eliminated from Africa.
“Rather, it signals a transition from an emergency response to a sustained, country-led pathway toward elimination. Mpox remains endemic in several settings, and continued vigilance, targeted investment and innovation will be essential to consolidate gains and prevent a resurgence,” he said.
By Nijat Babayev
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