The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced that it has lifted the continental emergency status for mpox, following recommendations from the agency's emergency consultative group.

"I hereby announce the lifting of mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS). This decision reflects Africa's growing capacity to lead complex public health responses, grounded in strong political leadership, regional solidarity, and effective international partnerships," Jean Kaseya, the director general of Africa CDC, said in a statement.

The agency announced the declaration of the mpox emergency status in August 2024 after a surge in cases across the continent.

At least 80,276 suspected cases and 1,340 deaths were reported in 2024, representing more than a five-fold increase in cases. The Democratic Republic of Congo was affected the most, accounting for 96 percent of reported cases and 97 percent of deaths.

The declaration helped to mobilize collective efforts and funding to contain the outbreak, according to the agency.

Over $1 billion was pooled through partnerships to support the outbreak response, which included strengthening community-based surveillance and distributing more than five million mpox vaccine doses across 16 countries.

Africa CDC said these efforts produced measurable results, with suspected cases dropping 40 percent and confirmed infections falling 60 percent between the early and late 2025 transmission peaks.

The case fatality rate among suspected cases fell from 2.6 percent to 0.6 percent.

"The lifting of the PHECS does not mark the end of mpox in Africa. Rather, it signals a transition from emergency response to a sustained, country-led pathway toward elimination," Kaseya said.

Africa CDC said it is now rolling out a transition plan to maintain vaccination campaigns, aiming to keep the virus under control while improving overall health security.