The mpox epidemic is not over: Reducing disproportionate burden in Africa and persistent global risk require a sustained response

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Source: PLOS Medicine

Original: https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1004893...

Published: 2026-02-03T14:00:00Z

The mpox epidemic is not over, although global concern is waning, but outbreaks, disease and death continue in Africa and around the world[1]. An outbreak of mpox in 2022 generated worldwide attention, but the epidemic persists[1]. The authors highlight the ongoing mpox epidemics in Africa and the world[1]. There is a disproportionate burden in Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which accounted for 96% of the continent's more than 26,000 cases in 2024[1][3][7]. The World Health Organization declared the epidemic a public health emergency of international concern in August 2024[1][4][5]. Ending transmission requires a sustained global response that goes beyond reactive measures[1].