Africa's CDC declares mpox a public health emergency and calls for action

NAIROBI — The African Union's health watchdog on Tuesday declared a public health emergency over the growing mpox outbreak on the continent, saying the move is a "clarion call for action".

The outbreak has swept through several African countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the virus formerly called monkeypox was first discovered in humans in 1970.

"With a heavy heart but with an unyielding commitment to our people, to our African citizens, we declare mpox as public health emergency of continental security," Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, or Africa CDC, said during an online media briefing.