The World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially declared Mpox, previously known as Monkeypox, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This designation under the International Health Regulations (IHR) signals the global urgency in containing the outbreak.
According to Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Mpox cases have surged across 12 African nations, with Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda among the countries reporting their first-ever outbreaks. In 2024 alone, these countries have confirmed 2,863 cases, with 517 lives lost—primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
