Mpox remains 'health emergency' in Africa

Mpox, which has killed hundreds of people in some African countries, still constitutes a continental health emergency, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said on Thursday, after a consultative group found new surges in many countries on the continent.

In a statement, the Africa CDC said the Emergency Consultative Group, which advises the director general of Africa CDC on mpox, urged that the Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) remain in place to preserve political will, mobilise resources and keep countries on high alert.

The group’s review of the mpox situation indicated that there were surges in countries such as Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Zambia and Tanzania, even when weekly confirmed cases declined by 52%.

Fresh introductions of the virus were also reported 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.

‘Downward trends not stable’