Africa CDC Warns Mpox Still Major Health Threat

(MENAFN) Mpox, a disease that has rapidly spread across various African nations and resulted in the deaths of hundreds, continues to be considered a serious health threat across the continent, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

This announcement followed a meeting held by a consultative panel that identified renewed increases in infections in several regions.

In its communication, the Africa CDC explained that the Emergency Consultative Group—an advisory body to the organization’s director general—recommended that the Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) stay in effect.

This ongoing alert is necessary to sustain political engagement, secure funding, and ensure that countries remain vigilant.

An analysis of the current mpox landscape showed growing case numbers in nations including Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Zambia, and Tanzania, despite a 52% drop in weekly confirmed infections.

New outbreaks of the virus were also detected in Malawi, Ethiopia, Senegal, Togo, Gambia, and Mozambique.

“Meeting on Sept. 2 to review the outbreak and assess whether the emergency status should be lifted, the group concluded that maintaining the declaration is essential. Members warned that lifting the status prematurely could trigger complacency, reduce funding and increase the risk of resurgence,” the statement said.

The panel also stressed the need for a deeper probe into mpox-related fatalities, especially those involving minors, and urged expanded vaccine availability for children under 12 in nations with elevated risk.

Additionally, the group recommended reinforcing continental collaboration and merging the response to mpox with ongoing efforts against other health crises, such as cholera.

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