Africa health body declares mpox public health emergency

By Hassan Isilow

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Tuesday declared the mpox outbreak a “Public Health Emergency of Continental Security.”

“It’s not a joy to declare mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security. It’s a responsibility. We commit to get vaccines,” Dr. Jean Kaseya, director general of the continent’s top public health body, said in his remarks at a virtual media briefing.

Kaseya called on African governments to work with them in mitigating the spread of mpox, previously known as monkeypox, a rare disease caused by different viruses called clades.

The Africa CDC committed to hold weekly briefings to update the public on the number of cases and deaths.

The disease which is transmitted through close contact has been reported in over a dozen African countries since the beginning of 2024 with the Democratic Republic of Congo accounting for more than 90% of reported cases.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mpox causes rashes and flu-like symptoms.