The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has officially declared a public health emergency due to the escalating mpox outbreak across the continent on Tuesday (13 August).

According to CDC data as of the start of August 2024, there have been 38,465 cases of mpox and 1,456 deaths in Africa since January 2022. In addition, there has been a 160 percent increase in cases in 2024 compared to 2023 as per the CDC data.