The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is set to declare its first-ever public health emergency of continental concern due to a significant surge in mpox cases across the continent. This unprecedented move comes in response to a sharp rise in infections that has seen the 2024 case numbers match the total for 2023 in just the first six months of the year.
Since January 2022, the continent has recorded over 38,000 mpox cases and 1,456 related deaths. The situation has escalated dramatically in 2024, with 10 African Union member states reporting more than 14,000 cases and 450 deaths, of which 2,750 cases have been confirmed—representing a 160% increase over the same period in 2023.
The virus has spread to new regions, with Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Uganda experiencing recent outbreaks. For the first time, countries such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda have recorded mpox infections, signaling the virus’s expanding reach across Africa.
A new variant of the mpox virus, known as clade 1b, is driving the outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where mpox was first identified in 1970 and remains endemic. The DRC continues to bear the brunt of the outbreak, accounting for over 96% of all cases and deaths reported on the continent.
Jean Kaseya, the director of Africa CDC, announced on Thursday that the declaration of a public health emergency is imminent, emphasizing its critical role in controlling the outbreak and mobilizing resources. The declaration is expected to enhance the coordination between Africa CDC and member states, bolster African production of diagnostic tools, and ease import restrictions on essential medical supplies.
“This declaration will increase coordination between Africa CDC and member states,” Kaseya stated. He also highlighted that it would accelerate research and development efforts for diagnostics and vaccines crucial to combating the outbreak.
This move by Africa CDC aligns with the World Health Organization (WHO), which is considering a similar global declaration. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Wednesday that an emergency committee would be convened “as soon as possible” to determine whether the mpox outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.
“In light of the spread of mpox outside the DRC and the potential for further international spread within and outside Africa, I have decided to convene an emergency committee under the International Health Regulations,” Tedros said during a press briefing in Geneva.
The upcoming declarations reflect the growing concern over the spread of mpox both within Africa and globally, as health authorities race to contain the virus and prevent further transmission.