The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says the continent is getting closer to meeting the requirements for downgrading Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security. The agency noted that the shift is becoming increasingly necessary as more African countries continue to report zero cases for long, sustained periods.
Prof. Yap Boum, Incident Manager for Health Emergencies at Africa CDC, made the announcement on Thursday, December 11, during the organisation’s weekly virtual press briefing. He revealed that seven countries have now entered the “end phase” of the outbreak, while Sierra Leone is set to move into the “control phase” on December 16 after maintaining more than 42 days without a single confirmed case—meeting the standard outbreak benchmark of two incubation cycles.
He explained that Africa CDC follows clear criteria before declaring an outbreak over at either the national or continental level. “At the continental level, we require more than 45 days without new cases before a country is considered to be in the control phase. Sierra Leone will reach that threshold on December 16. Once a sufficient number of countries maintain this status, we can consider downgrading Mpox continent-wide,” he said.
Boum highlighted five major indicators that guide the decision to downgrade Mpox, including the absence of sustained human-to-human transmission, declining regional risk, and the capacity of countries to quickly detect and respond to any new cases. He noted that recent population movements from the Uvira region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo into Burundi had raised concerns about possible spread, but stressed that the situation is not expected to significantly affect the overall Mpox outlook.
“Movement of people always introduces some risk, but Burundi has shown strong surveillance and response capabilities. They have already demonstrated their ability to detect cases, isolate them, and manage outbreaks effectively,” he said. He added that cross-border coordination remains essential, particularly for tracking contacts and harmonising disease surveillance between the DRC, Burundi, South Sudan, and other neighbouring countries.
Boum explained that Africa CDC, with support from the World Bank, is helping countries strengthen bilateral agreements and operational procedures that allow joint outbreak investigations, information-sharing, and coordinated case management. “Without formal agreements, cross-border contact tracing is impossible. We are accelerating these memoranda of understanding and regional meetings to improve harmonisation of surveillance and response,” he said.
He emphasised that while the WHO lifted Mpox as a global emergency in September, Africa CDC must base its own decision on African epidemiological data, the preparedness of individual countries, and regional risks. He said the agency is optimistic that, if current trends continue, Mpox may soon be downgraded on the continent.
Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, is caused by the Mpox virus, a member of the orthopoxvirus family related to smallpox. Symptoms include fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash similar to smallpox but generally milder. The disease spreads through close contact with infected individuals, animals, or contaminated materials. Global Mpox cases have increased in recent years partly due to declining population-level immunity following the end of routine smallpox vaccination.
