The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned that Mpox cases are expected to rise over the next four weeks, with signs of stabilisation anticipated early next year.
Chief of Staff at Africa CDC, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo provided this update during a weekly briefing on the outbreak.
Science Nigeria reports that the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Mpox a global public health emergency for the second consecutive year in August, following the spread of a new variant from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to neighbouring countries.
Mpox, a viral infection transmitted through close contact, has already resulted in over 59,000 reported cases and 1,164 deaths across 20 African countries in 2024.
Ngongo stated that intensified efforts are being made to manage the outbreak.
“We are hoping that after about four weeks, we should see some plateauing of the outbreak as a result of all the current investments. Towards the end of quarter one, we can then see the bending of the curve,” he said.
However, he acknowledged significant challenges in surveillance and contact tracing.
To address these issues, Africa CDC is deploying community health workers, epidemiologists, and infection prevention specialists to affected areas. Ngongo emphasised the importance of strengthening surveillance systems and fostering international collaboration to effectively control the outbreak.
Meanwhile, the WHO has maintained Mpox’s global health emergency status due to the increasing number of cases, continued geographic spread and operational difficulties in coordinating a cohesive regional response.
“The outbreak continues to represent an emergency based on the need to sustain a unified response across countries and partners,” the UN agency said.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. While often mild, the disease can be fatal, particularly for vulnerable populations.
The current strain, originating from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has spread to neighbouring countries, raising international concern.
