Across Africa, 2,766 new Mpox cases emerged and 34 deaths were reported last week, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
In an online press conference, Ngashi Ngongo, Head of the African Union Health Agency’s executive office, stated that confirmed Mpox cases in Africa have surged by 500% in 2024 compared to 2023. Ngongo warned that the outbreak remains “out of control” and that “the overall trend is still rising.”
The union official highlighted the need for strong political commitment and financial support to bring the outbreak under control, urging mobilization to prevent a potential “pandemic more severe than COVID-19.”
In August, the Africa CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Mpox outbreak in Africa a public health emergency.
Recently, a joint six-month continental response plan with the WHO was launched, backed by nearly USD 600 million in funding.