Whatever happened to mpox? Is it still a threat?
September 2, 2025
Mpox remains a global health emergency nearly a year after Africa CDC and WHO issued their highest alerts, yet the disease has faded from headlines. In Kenya and across Africa, the virus has spread widely, with over 100,000 suspected cases this year. Despite $1.1 billion in pledged support, vaccine delivery has lagged, with many U.S.-donated doses now expired. Experts warn that inconsistent data, weak surveillance, and funding cuts leave the world “walking blind.” Progress in lab capacity and vaccine approvals offers hope, but the sluggish response risks entrenching mpox as a permanent threat with global consequences.
In August 2024, Africa CDC and WHO issued their highest-level emergency declarations in response to the escalating mpox outbreak, marking the first time the continent’s health body had ever invoked such measures. A year later, those alerts remain in effect, yet the virus continues to spread, with more than 100,000 suspected cases and over 700 deaths reported in 2025. Kenya, Burundi, and Sierra Leone, once untouched, are now grappling with sustained transmission, underscoring the epidemic’s expanded geographic footprint.
While some progress has been made, the global response has fallen short. Vaccine access has been a critical stumbling block. Only about 907,000 people in Africa have received at least one dose, far below the 10 million target set by Africa CDC. U.S. pledges of 1 million doses have been undermined by logistical delays and expiration, with nearly half now unusable. At $100 per dose, the waste is a significant loss. Meanwhile, stigma, weak surveillance, and cuts to foreign aid have further constrained data collection and case tracking, leaving experts describing the response as “walking blind.”
Still, there are signs of capacity building. Seventeen African countries have now approved the mpox vaccine, and laboratory networks have expanded dramatically. Burundi, for example, grew from two testing sites last year to 56 today. Leaders like Africa CDC’s Jean Kaseya stress that these are historic firsts for the continent, demonstrating the value of emergency declarations in mobilizing resources.
Yet experts caution that the world is witnessing the entrenchment of mpox in human populations. As Emory’s Dr. Boghuma Titanji noted, the credibility of global alert systems may erode if the highest levels of alarm fail to spur effective containment. The lesson is clear: delays and underinvestment in outbreak response allow pathogens to evolve and spread, with risks extending far beyond Africa’s borders.