Eight African countries are currently in the control phase of mpox while South Africa, Gabon, Morocco, and Zimbabwe have reported no confirmed cases for more than 90 days, Chief of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has disclosed.
According to a recorded media briefing seen by APA over the weekend, Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya, said among the 21 affected African countries, 13 are currently experiencing active transmission of the mpox virus.
He said the number of mpox cases reported in Africa has exceeded 77,800 since the start of last year, with the death toll rising to 1,321, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has disclosed.
The African continent has reported 77,888 mpox cases since the start of 2024, including 16,767 confirmed cases and 1,321 deaths.
Sierra Leone became the latest African country to report mpox cases as it confirmed its first outbreak on January 10, bringing the total number of affected countries to 21, according to Kaseya.
The Central Africa region remains the most affected by the ongoing mpox outbreak, which has affected all five regions of Africa, both in terms of the number of cases and the death toll.
Kaseya outlined the Africa CDC’s key priorities for the next three months in the fight against the virus, including intensifying the response in hotspot areas through the deployment of epidemiologists and community health workers.
He said countries need to decentralize mpox testing, enhance laboratory infrastructure, and combat misinformation about the virus.
MG/as/APA