Africa CDC: Death toll from mpox outbreak has risen to 979

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) says the death toll from mpox outbreak in the region has risen to 979.

Speaking on Thursday at an online media briefing, Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC director-general, said a total of 38,300 mpox cases, with 7,339 confirmed cases since 2024.

Kaseya said the continent reported 3,186 new cases in the past week alone, with 489 confirmed cases and 53 deaths.

He said the outbreak remains a significant public health concern across the continent, adding that sixteen African countries, spanning all five regions, reported cases.

“With the increase in the number of cases, Mpox is still a major public health issue in Africa. Last week, we had 3,186 new cases,” Kaseya said.

“Under this trend, what we are seeing for the past four to five weeks is (a weekly average of) 2,500 to 3,000 new cases.

“We don’t see a decrease in terms of deaths. It means the outbreak is still there, still increasing, and we need to continue to be focused to stop that.”

Kaseya said the number of mpox cases reported this year marked a staggering 300 percent increase compared to the total cases recorded in 2023.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, and Uganda represent the top five countries reporting the highest confirmed cases, accounting for 98.7 percent of the total cases.

Kaseya stressed the need to prioritise investigation and research among the most vulnerable segments of the population, especially children under 15 years.

In August, the Africa CDC declared the mpox outbreak in Africa a public health emergency of continental security.

Soon after, the World Health Organisation (WHO) also declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern.

The WHO also activated its highest level of global alert for the disease for the second time in two years.

Data from the African Union’s specialised healthcare agency shows that Central Africa is the hardest-hit region.

The subregion accounts for more than 99 percent of all mpox-related deaths reported this year.