The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a total of 14,700 mpox cases, including 66 fatalities, across 20 African nations between January 2024 and January 5, 2025. This figure, however, represents only a fraction of the suspected cases, as many remain undiagnosed due to limited diagnostic resources in several regions, notably in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
While the outbreak is being driven by multiple variants of the virus, the Clade Ib variant has been identified as the primary strain circulating in the DRC and neighboring countries. The WHO has expressed concern over travel-related cases of the Clade Ib variant, which have been detected outside Africa. These cases involved adults who, having been infected during their incubation periods or at the onset of symptoms, were diagnosed upon arrival in other countries.
The new variant, first identified in South Kivu, DRC, emerged around mid-September 2023. The ongoing spread of the virus is a stark reminder of the global health challenges posed by differing surveillance capacities across countries. In particular, regions with limited diagnostic testing often face delays in case detection and underreporting, making it difficult to contain the outbreak.
In light of the rising number of cases, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of continental concern in August 2024. This declaration was quickly followed by the WHO’s designation of the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern, activating the highest level of global alert for the disease for the second time in just two years.
Mpox, or monkeypox, is a rare viral illness that was first identified in 1958. It spreads primarily through bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials. Symptoms typically include fever, a rash, and swollen lymph nodes, with some cases leading to severe complications. As the outbreak continues, global health authorities are urging countries to enhance surveillance and reporting measures to prevent further spread of the virus.