The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has reported that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sierra Leone, and Uganda account for over 84 per cent of Mpox cases recorded across the continent.
This was disclosed by the Director-General of the Africa CDC, Dr. Jean Kaseya, during a press conference, citing data from epidemiological week 25 of 2025. He noted that while Mpox cases have been on a steady decline over the past six weeks, the disease remains heavily concentrated in just a few countries.
According to Dr. Kaseya, the DRC alone accounts for 62 per cent of all confirmed Mpox cases in Africa since the current outbreak began. Between January 2024 and June 2025, the continent recorded over 75,630 suspected cases and 25,175 confirmed infections, with 574 reported deaths.
Uganda, Sierra Leone, and the DRC bear the brunt of the outbreak, with Uganda reporting more than 6,900 confirmed cases, Sierra Leone 4,297, and the DRC 27,940.
Dr. Kaseya expressed concern over the growing number of children affected, revealing that in Burundi, nearly 47 per cent of confirmed cases are children under the age of 15. Similarly, in Uganda, children in that age group make up over 11 per cent of infections.
He also pointed out that men constitute over two-thirds of confirmed Mpox cases across the continent, hinting at possible gender-based exposure trends that warrant deeper investigation.
Despite achieving a 100 per cent testing rate for samples received in most countries, Dr. Kaseya noted that testing coverage remains insufficient, mainly due to logistical challenges. In remote areas of the DRC and Sierra Leone, poor sample transportation continues to hamper efforts to accurately track and contain the disease.
