The Gambia has officially declared an outbreak of mpox after confirming a single case, as neighbouring countries report rising infection numbers.
The country’s Ministry of Health announced on Friday that the case was identified through routine surveillance, triggering an immediate public health response.
“The detection of a single case in a country where mpox is not currently circulating constitutes an outbreak requiring urgent action,” the ministry stated.
Authorities have launched contact tracing, active case finding, and community engagement efforts to prevent further spread.
Mpox, a viral disease related to smallpox, can be transmitted from infected animals to humans and also spreads between people through close physical contact. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and large, boil-like skin lesions. The disease can be fatal in some cases.
There are two known subtypes of the mpox virus—clade 1 and clade 2. The Gambia’s health ministry noted that sequencing is underway to identify the specific subtype responsible for the case.
The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to classify mpox as an international health emergency, particularly as infections rise across West Africa.
From January to late May 2025, Sierra Leone recorded 3,350 cases and 16 deaths. Liberia reported 71 active cases as of early June, according to its National Public Health Institute.
Thousands of additional cases have also been documented this year in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Burundi, according to WHO data.
