Despite a recent decline in mpox cases across Africa, the disease continues to pose a serious threat in several countries, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) warned this week.
“While we’re seeing a consistent decline in mpox cases across Africa over the last six weeks,” said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, “the burden remains overwhelmingly concentrated in just a few countries.”
“This calls for tailored and intensified response efforts in these hotspots,” he added.
From January 2024 to June 2025, the continent recorded more than 75,630 suspected cases and 25,175 confirmed cases of mpox. At least 574 people have died.
Uganda, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) account for a significant portion of the outbreak. According to Kaseya, Uganda has recorded over 6,900 confirmed cases. Sierra Leone reported 4,297, and the DRC more than 27,900.
Children under 15 are increasingly affected. In Burundi, they make up nearly 47 percent of confirmed cases.
In Uganda, over 11 percent of confirmed patients are children under 15.
Men, meanwhile, account for more than two-thirds of all confirmed cases continent-wide. Kaseya said this points to possible gender-based exposure patterns that still need deeper investigation.
Testing, while accurate where done, remains patchy. “Despite a 100 percent testing rate for samples received in most countries,” Kaseya noted, “testing coverage remains low due to logistical issues.”
Among the challenges, he cited poor sample transport—especially in remote areas of Sierra Leone and the DRC—as a key obstacle.
Still, there are some bright spots. In Sierra Leone, the Africa CDC commended the country’s recent progress in speeding up test result turnaround time—now averaging just 2.5 days—and maintaining an 85 percent positivity rate, suggesting that testing is well-targeted.
Vaccination efforts are ongoing, but far from even.
Over 698,000 people in 11 countries have received at least one dose of the mpox vaccine. Sierra Leone vaccinated over 70,000 people in its second campaign round, which began on June 23.
But vaccine availability is inconsistent. “Vaccine stockouts remain a critical bottleneck,” Kaseya said, pointing to shortages in Liberia and parts of Sierra Leone.
The DRC leads the vaccination effort, with over 530,000 people receiving at least one dose—roughly 75 percent of the total number vaccinated across the continent.
On the treatment front, the response has been hampered by supply and staffing challenges.
Several treatment centers in Uganda and the DRC face “shortages of essential medicines, fuel for ambulances, and gaps in hygiene staffing,” Kaseya said.
In Uganda, cities like Entebbe and Fort Portal are feeling the pressure, with patient admissions outpacing available capacity.
Still, Kaseya pointed to progress. New supportive care protocols and ongoing health worker training are helping improve patient outcomes. The case fatality rate across Africa has dropped to 0.5 percent.
But broader action is still needed. Kaseya urged African Union member states to take a more integrated approach—one that addresses not just mpox, but also ongoing cholera outbreaks, particularly in areas affected by climate shocks, conflict, and poor sanitation.
“The mpox epidemic remains a public health emergency of continental security (PHECS),” he said. “And we must not relent in our efforts.”
