Africa has recorded 191,559 cases of Mpox since the beginning of 2024, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Speaking at an online briefing on Thursday, Yap Boum II, deputy incident manager for mpox at Africa CDC, reported that of the recorded cases, 53,013 have been confirmed and 1,999 deaths registered.
Boum noted that both confirmed and suspected cases have declined in recent weeks from the peak recorded in May. Weekly confirmed cases have also dropped by 70%, from 1,620 in May to 491 last week, due to improved testing coverage.
Earlier this month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that the spread of mpox in Africa no longer represents a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a viral disease related to smallpox. It causes fever, body aches, and distinctive skin lesions, and can become fatal in severe cases. The virus spreads through close physical contact with infected individuals or contaminated objects.
