Africa grapples with Mpox crisis, declares continental emergency

The Africa Centre for Disease Control on Tuesday declared a public health emergency over the growing Mpox outbreak on the continent.

The outbreak has swept through several African countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo.

There is a serious and growing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that has now expanded outside the country. A new viral strain, which first emerged in September 2023, has for the first time been detected outside DRC.

Since the beginning of this year, the DRC has been experiencing a severe outbreak of mpox with more than 14,000 reported cases and 511 deaths.

Outbreaks of mpox have been reported in DRC for decades, and the number of cases reported each year has been increasing steadily.

However, the number of cases reported in the first six months of this year matches the number reported last year and the virus has spread to previously unaffected provinces.

“With a heavy heart but with an unyielding commitment to our people, to our African citizens, we declare mpox as a public health emergency of continental security.

“Mpox has now crossed borders, affecting thousands across our continent, families have been torn apart, and the pain and suffering have touched every corner of our continent”, the Director-General of the Africa CDC, Jean Kaseya, said during an online media briefing.

Kaseya noted that the declaration is not merely a formality, it is a clarion call to action.

“It is a recognition that we can no longer afford to be reactive. We must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this threat,” he added.

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