Africa CDC and WHO Intensify Mpox Response Amid Spread Across 28 Countries

The revised strategy emphasizes immediate outbreak control measures, expanded vaccination efforts, and a shift toward sustainable long-term management of the disease.

In response to the expanding mpox outbreak, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have jointly updated their Continental Response Plan to address the public health emergency that has now spread across multiple African nations and beyond. The revised strategy emphasizes immediate outbreak control measures, expanded vaccination efforts, and a shift toward sustainable long-term management of the disease.

Evolving Threat of Mpox: From Zoonotic Disease to Global Health Concern

Mpox, a viral disease historically known to transmit from infected animals to humans, has rapidly evolved into a significant human-to-human public health threat. The virus, which causes painful skin and mucosal lesions, fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes, can lead to severe complications and disfigurement in affected individuals. While previously considered a rare zoonotic illness, the emergence of new viral strains has drastically changed its epidemiology.

In 2022, the clade IIb variant triggered international concern after spreading through sexual contact across various regions. Since late 2023, another lineage—clade Ib—began circulating rapidly within households and sexual networks, especially in Central and East Africa, prompting declarations of public health emergencies at both continental and global levels.

Continental Emergency Response Intensifies

In August 2024, the Africa CDC declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, and the WHO Director-General escalated the crisis by declaring it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. These declarations followed the detection of clade Ib mpox cases beyond the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into neighboring Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

By early 2025, 28 countries across Africa and the world had confirmed cases of the clade Ib strain, with local transmission documented in ten African nations, including South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, the Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. Although most mpox cases reported outside Africa remain linked to international travel, local outbreaks continue to emerge, raising global alarm.

Joint Response Strategy: Ten Pillars of Action

The revised Africa CDC-WHO Joint Continental Mpox Plan outlines a comprehensive framework built on ten critical pillars:

1. Coordination and Governance

2. Risk Communication and Community Engagement

3. Disease Surveillance and Data Management

4. Laboratory Diagnostic Capacity

5. Clinical Case Management

6. Infection Prevention and Control

7. Vaccination Deployment and Equity

8. Research and Innovation

9. Logistics and Supply Chain Management

10. Continuity of Essential Health Services

This strategic blueprint is fully aligned with WHO’s updated Global Strategic Plan, which aims to curb— and, where feasible, eliminate— human-to-human transmission of mpox globally.

Major Progress in Vaccination and Diagnostics

A cornerstone of the response has been the scale-up of vaccination campaigns. As of April 2025, more than 650,000 vaccine doses have been administered in six African countries, with over 90% delivered in the DRC, the epicenter of the outbreak. In total, more than one million doses have been shipped to ten countries, with further procurement efforts ongoing to meet growing demand.

In parallel, the DRC has made notable strides in enhancing its laboratory capacity. The number of functioning laboratories capable of mpox testing has surged from just two in 2023 to 23 labs across 12 provinces. With the introduction of near-point-of-care diagnostic tests, authorities anticipate a significant boost in detection speed and accessibility, especially in hard-to-reach areas.

Challenges on the Ground: Conflict, Funding Gaps, and Humanitarian Constraints

Despite encouraging developments, the mpox response continues to face serious obstacles. Ongoing conflict and insecurity in eastern DRC— where case incidence remains particularly high— hamper health access, delay case detection, and limit vaccine distribution. Compounding these issues are humanitarian funding cuts, affecting both emergency and routine healthcare delivery in vulnerable regions.

To fully implement the updated Continental Response Plan, Africa CDC and WHO estimate that over US$ 220 million is urgently needed to close existing funding gaps and sustain current response activities.

A Vision for Integration and Long-Term Resilience

Beyond crisis response, the updated strategy envisions the integration of mpox services into national health systems, ensuring the disease is managed alongside other endemic and emerging infections. This includes embedding surveillance, diagnostics, treatment, and prevention into routine care pathways, training health workers, and strengthening community health structures.

Both Africa CDC and WHO stress that collaboration remains vital, calling on national governments, regional health bodies, international partners, and civil society to maintain momentum in tackling the outbreak.

Global Outlook and Continued Vigilance

In the first two months of 2025 alone, 60 countries have reported cases of mpox, with Africa accounting for the majority of cases and deaths. While the epicenter remains on the continent, the global health community remains on high alert to prevent further international spread.

The WHO and Africa CDC reaffirm their commitment to curbing transmission, protecting communities, and building health systems that can withstand future outbreaks. With continued cooperation, transparent data sharing, and equitable access to resources, leaders hope to not only bring mpox under control but to prevent it from becoming a permanent fixture in the global disease landscape.