The Mpox outbreak in Africa has reached alarming levels, with over 65,000 cases reported this year and a death toll exceeding 1,200, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya revealed that, as of this year, the continent had recorded 65,711 Mpox cases, including 14,241 confirmed infections. The death toll now stands at 1,237. Last week alone saw 3,545 new cases, including 467 confirmed, and 37 additional deaths, reflecting the severity of the crisis.
While six countries—Gabon, Guinea, South Africa, Morocco, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—have transitioned to controlled transmission stages, 20 countries across the continent continue to face active outbreaks. Kaseya emphasized that Africa is “still losing people” to the virus and called for strengthened efforts to combat the spread.
In August, the Africa CDC declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, followed shortly by the World Health Organization’s declaration of Mpox as a public health emergency of international concern.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a rare viral disease that was first identified in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It spreads through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials, causing symptoms such as fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.
As efforts to contain the outbreak continue, health authorities are urging robust public health responses and international collaboration to curb the epidemic’s devastating impact on the continent.
