Mpox Progress Credited to Improved Diagnostics and Training
September 2, 2025
One year after mpox was declared a continental emergency, Africa is reporting measurable progress. Coordinated action between Africa CDC, WHO, governments, and communities has expanded laboratory capacity from only a few sites to nearly 70 in the DRC and 56 in Burundi, while more than 6 million vaccines have been distributed. Confirmed cases dropped 34.5 percent in the past six weeks, with major declines in the DRC, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Burundi. Despite challenges such as funding gaps, stigma, and conflict in eastern DRC, strengthened surveillance, vaccination, and community engagement show Africa is building lasting resilience against mpox.
One year after the Africa CDC declared mpox a continental emergency, the region is demonstrating how coordinated leadership and collaboration can yield results even in the face of limited resources. Mpox, a viral disease resembling smallpox, has now affected 28 African countries, causing over 174,000 suspected cases since August 2024. Yet, thanks to joint efforts from Africa CDC, WHO, national governments, and local communities, there has been a 34.5 percent decline in confirmed cases across the most affected nations in the past six weeks.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Burundi together account for more than 80 percent of 2025’s mpox cases, but all are now experiencing downward trends. Laboratory and genomic sequencing capacity has expanded dramatically, from just two labs in the DRC in early 2024 to 69 by mid-2025. Across the continent, 21 countries have generated over 4,000 genomic sequences, and thousands of community health workers have been trained to strengthen case detection, vaccination, and treatment.
Over 6 million vaccine doses have been procured and shipped, with nearly 1 million administered so far, covering almost 900,000 people. Thirteen countries now have vaccine deployment plans, and eight are vaccinating high-risk groups and their contacts. Some countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Angola, and Zimbabwe, have reported weeks without any new cases, indicating successful containment.
However, challenges remain. Vaccine shortages, competing health crises, underfunding, stigma, and violent conflict in eastern DRC continue to undermine progress. Sustaining gains will require scaling up community-based surveillance, integrating mpox response into broader health programs, and securing reliable funding for vaccines and supplies.
Africa’s response over the past year illustrates what is possible when strategy, science, and solidarity converge. The task now is to maintain momentum and embed resilience into health systems for the future.