ADDIS ABABA: Africa is no longer in the grip of a public health emergency over mpox, though the viral infection “remains endemic in several settings,” the head of the region’s disease monitoring centers said on Saturday.
The announcement by Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, comes after the World Health Organization in September said mpox was no longer a global health emergency.
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The World Health Organization declared its worldwide public health emergency over the viral infection — previously known as Monkeypox, and related to smallpox — in August 2024.
WHO had declared its worldwide public health emergency over the viral infection — previously known as Monkeypox, and related to smallpox — in August 2024, after a two-pronged mpox epidemic broke out, primarily in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kaseya said Africa was lifting its regional emergency status for the illness due to enhanced detection, improved treatment, and the rollout of more than 5 million mpox vaccines in 16 countries since 2024.
The response contributed to a 60 percent drop in confirmed cases between early 2025 and late 2025, and to a drop in deaths among those infected from 2.6 percent to 0.6 percent, he said in a statement.
The lifting of the regional public health emergency status “does not mark the end of mpox in Africa,” he added.
“Rather, it signals a transition from emergency response to a sustained, country-led pathway toward elimination. Mpox remains endemic in several settings, and continued vigilance, targeted investment, and innovation will be essential to consolidate gains and prevent resurgence.”
According to the World Health Organization, 78 percent of mpox cases were detected in Africa, with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, and Madagascar most affected.
