09 May 2025

Panel to Review Mpox Status in Africa Amid Mixed Epidemiological Trends

Renowned epidemiologist Professor Salim Abdool Karim will lead a panel of experts to assess the status and classification of mpox on the continent, evaluating whether the disease should remain classified as a public health emergency of continental concern. The decision is expected to be complex due to mixed epidemiological trends, with some countries experiencing rising infections while others show declines.

According to Africa CDC director-general Dr. Jean Kaseya, the review, scheduled for 17 May, will be conducted by the institution’s Emergency Consultative Group (ECG) under Abdool Karim's leadership. This marks the second formal review since mpox was declared a public health emergency of continental concern on 13 August 2024, the first such designation since the Africa CDC's establishment in 2017.

The outcome of this review could significantly impact funding and partner mobilization. ReliefWeb reported that during the ECG's last meeting on 26 February, the outbreak had expanded from 12 to 23 countries, with seven in the control phase and 16 in the active phase. Notably, Burundi, Rwanda, and the Central African Republic showed signs of decline.

From 1 January 2024 to 28 February 2025, over 100,886 suspected cases were recorded, with 22,728 confirmed and 69 associated deaths. While there was a 2.6% drop in suspected cases in early 2025, confirmed cases surged in Uganda, Nigeria, and the Republic of Congo. Conversely, countries like Burundi, CAR, Kenya, Liberia, and Rwanda reported improvements.

Mpox continues to spread beyond Africa, with cases confirmed in China and Switzerland. Central Africa, particularly the DRC, remains the epicenter of the outbreak, where armed conflict has hindered response efforts and displaced over 500 patients.

Testing coverage in the DRC has dropped to about 50%, compounded by delayed fund disbursements. The emergence of a new variant, Clade 1A, detected in early 2025, adds to the complexity of the situation. However, vaccine uptake has improved among high-risk groups, with ten countries receiving vaccines and seven implementing vaccination campaigns.

As the review approaches, the Africa CDC, in collaboration with the WHO and other partners, has launched an updated six-month response plan aimed at halting human-to-human transmission and reducing mpox incidence in endemic areas by 50%. The plan emphasizes decentralizing diagnostic capacities and integrating community-level interventions.

The operationalization of the Joint Continental Incident Management Support Team (IMST) in Kinshasa, comprising 28 partner organizations, has improved coordination across the continent. The panels decision on 17 May will be crucial for shaping the next phase of the mpox response.