The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has announced a 58 per cent decline in mpox cases across the continent between epidemiological weeks 19 and 30 of 2025, signaling substantial progress in disease control efforts.
Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa CDC, made the disclosure during the agency’s weekly briefing on Friday. He attributed the progress to strong national leadership, community engagement, and bolstered health systems backed by Africa CDC and its partners.
According to Dr. Kaseya, over 3.1 million mpox vaccine doses have been distributed across 12 African nations, with more than 886,000 people vaccinated so far. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) alone accounted for 69 per cent of all vaccinated individuals.
Despite the encouraging decline, the Africa CDC raised alarm over fresh mpox outbreaks in Gambia, Cameroon, and Mozambique, and the detection of multiple viral clades in Kinshasa, including the high-risk Clade IIb. Kaseya stressed the need for enhanced surveillance and targeted vaccination, especially among high-risk groups.
In a related development, Kaseya reported that cholera outbreaks have now spread to 23 African Union member states, with new infections confirmed in Chad and the Republic of Congo. The DRC and South Sudan remain the most severely impacted, although both countries are now seeing a slow but steady decline in cases and fatalities.
The Africa CDC identified poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure as the key driver of cholera’s spread and called for coordinated, multi-sectoral intervention. The agency is expanding its Incident Management Support Team to address cholera outbreaks in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other stakeholders, under the leadership of the Zambian presidency.
Kaseya urged African governments to strengthen community-based surveillance, prioritize vaccinations in hotspots, and improve integrated case management, particularly for individuals with co-morbidities.
Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, is a viral illness similar to smallpox, transmitted through physical contact and contaminated objects. It causes fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. Cholera is a bacterial infection caused by consuming contaminated food or water, often in areas with inadequate sanitation, and can be deadly without prompt treatment.
