The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has announced that mpox remains a continental public health emergency, warning that removing the designation too soon could undermine response efforts.
After reviewing the outbreak situation on September 2, the Emergency Consultative Group advising the Africa CDC recommended keeping the Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) in place. The experts noted that, although confirmed cases have dropped by over 50% in recent weeks, new surges have been reported in Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Zambia, and Tanzania.
Fresh introductions of the virus were also documented in Malawi, Ethiopia, Senegal, Togo, Gambia, and Mozambique, showing that transmission risks remain high.
“Lifting the status now could create complacency, reduce funding, and increase the risk of resurgence,” the advisory group warned.
Rising Concerns
The panel highlighted the need for deeper investigations into mpox-related deaths, especially among children, and called for wider vaccine access for those under 12 in high-risk countries.
It also urged African governments to maintain strong coordination and to integrate mpox response with other ongoing health challenges, including cholera outbreaks.
The Numbers So Far
Since January 2024, 185,994 suspected mpox cases have been recorded across 29 African countries, with 51,969 confirmed cases and nearly 2,000 deaths, according to Africa CDC deputy incident manager Yap Boum II.
The public health emergency was first declared on August 13, 2024. Despite improvements in surveillance, testing, and vaccination, officials caution that current declines in cases are not yet stable enough to end the emergency.