The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned of increasing public health threats across the continent, citing rising outbreaks of cholera, mpox, and Marburg virus.
Yap Boum, incident manager for health emergencies at Africa CDC, stated that the continent is facing a growing disease burden, with 132,442 suspected mpox cases and 40,218 confirmed cases resulting in 953 deaths.
Cholera remains a significant threat, with 311,618 cases and 7,187 deaths reported across 25 African countries in 2025. Sudan, DRC, South Sudan, and Angola account for 85% of all cholera-related deaths.
The Africa CDC is supporting countries where transmission persists, including Kenya, Guinea, Liberia, and Ghana.
The agency is also responding to a Marburg virus outbreak in Ethiopia, with 13 confirmed cases and eight deaths reported.
Rapid response teams have been deployed to support contact tracing and surveillance efforts.
The Africa CDC emphasizes the need for long-term investment in preparedness, including domestic health financing, laboratory and manufacturing capacity, early warning systems, and protection for frontline health workers. “Africa must lead its health security future. Sovereignty begins with preparedness,” Boum said.
