Health officials encouraged by recent trends in Africa’s mpox outbreaks
June 30, 2025
Mpox trends in Africa show early signs of improvement, with Sierra Leone—once the continent’s largest hotspot—now reporting a relative decline in case share, from 63% to 41% of Africa’s total. Yet with a 91% test positivity rate and over 500 new cases per week, Africa CDC stresses that enhanced surveillance remains critical. Vaccination campaigns have reached nearly 700,000 people across seven countries, but the region still faces a steep shortfall from the 6.4 million doses it needs. As cases rise in Togo and persist in Uganda and the DRC, sustained investment in community health, testing, and vaccines is vital.
Mpox case trends across Africa suggest cautious optimism, according to Africa CDC’s June 26 briefing. Sierra Leone, which had been the continent’s most severe hotspot, has seen a relative decrease in its share of reported cases—falling from 63% to 41% in recent weeks. However, this shift must be interpreted carefully. With a test positivity rate of 91% and approximately 500 cases still reported weekly, under-detection remains a serious concern. To strengthen containment efforts, Africa CDC is deploying 200 community health workers to support active surveillance and contact tracing nationwide.
Elsewhere, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda—both early mpox epicenters—are showing promising declines. The DRC continues to face major diagnostic challenges, with 97.5% of cases clustered in six provinces. Uganda appears more stable, with no new cases recently reported from Kampala, a key transmission zone.
Meanwhile, Togo is witnessing a steady rise in mpox cases, prompting Africa CDC to send an incident-management support team to bolster surveillance and laboratory capacities. This reinforces the region’s complex epidemiological landscape, shaped by differing viral clades, public health strategies, and social behaviors among high-risk populations.
Despite progress, the continent is far from meeting its vaccination needs. Although nearly 700,000 individuals have been vaccinated and Uganda recently received an additional 98,000 doses, Africa remains well short of the 6.4 million doses projected for effective control. Sierra Leone has launched its second vaccination round targeting high-risk groups across all 16 districts.
This moment demands sustained vigilance. Containing mpox in Africa requires a coordinated, well-funded approach that prioritizes equitable vaccine access, community-based health infrastructure, and real-time data to inform strategy. If current trends are nurtured through global support, Africa may yet transform this fragile progress into a durable public health success.