The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said the average weekly mpox cases in Africa have tripled from 909 in August 2024 to 3,264 in February 2025.
In a statement released over the weekend, Africa CDC said the ongoing mpox outbreak has affected nine more African countries since the initial declaration early last year.
According to data from the African Union’s specialised healthcare agency, since Africa CDC first declared the mpox outbreak a PHECS in August last year, cases have continued to surge across the continent.
In its recent meeting, the agency’s emergency group decided that the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa is classified as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS). It said the group has reached a unanimous decision to extend the PHECS declaration after a thorough review of the outbreak.
The review highlighted the rising number of mpox cases, its continued spread to new countries, the emergence of a highly transmissible variant, and persistent challenges in vaccine supply and distribution.
Africa CDC warned that the growing number of cases and affected countries underscores the need for sustained vigilance and intervention. The emergence of a highly transmissible variant has further escalated public health risks.
The agency also identified key challenges, including gaps in surveillance and testing, inadequate vaccination coverage, and under-reporting of cases.
These challenges, it said, have been exacerbated by worsening security conditions in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the epicenter of the current mpox outbreak.
MG/as/APA