Cholera, Mpox Surge Push Africa into Dual Health Emergency — Africa CDC Warns
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has raised the alarm over a growing dual public health crisis on the continent, as cholera and mpox outbreaks escalate across several countries.
Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa CDC, issued the warning on Thursday during a weekly media briefing. He revealed that Africa currently accounts for 60% of global cholera cases and an alarming 93.5% of global cholera-related deaths reported as of May.
“Children are especially at risk,” Kaseya noted. “They represent nearly half of all reported cases and over a third of cholera deaths.”
Simultaneously, mpox cases are rising sharply. According to Africa CDC data, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and Burundi accounted for 94% of all confirmed mpox cases during epidemiological week 21 — with Sierra Leone alone contributing 53% of new cases.
“This isn’t just an increase in numbers,” Kaseya said. “There are major gaps in disease surveillance, vaccination, and basic water and sanitation access that are worsening both outbreaks.”
Angola, South Sudan, the DRC, and Sudan are among the hardest-hit countries, responsible for 85% of Africa’s cholera cases and 92% of its deaths. In some rural areas, open defecation rates reach 73%, and safe drinking water remains scarce.
“Children under 15 account for up to 47% of all reported cholera cases and 37% of deaths,” Kaseya said.
He urged affected nations to set up Presidential Task Forces to lead multi-sectoral emergency responses and called for immediate action in providing water, sanitation, vaccination, and disease monitoring infrastructure.
Mpox, once considered a localized zoonotic disease, is now spreading to new regions including Ethiopia, Malawi, and Togo. Ethiopia recently recorded its first mpox-related death — an infant — as of May 31.
Testing in the DRC remains dangerously low, with just 27% of suspected cases screened. Meanwhile, Sierra Leone has reported over 3,100 confirmed mpox cases in 2025, with some districts showing positivity rates as high as 93%, indicating widespread underreporting.
Despite progress in vaccine rollout — with over 726,000 mpox vaccine doses administered — the continent still lacks critical supplies. Africa needs an estimated 43 million oral cholera vaccine doses annually but received only 26 million in 2024.
While local vaccine manufacturing plants are in development in South Africa, Ghana, and Zambia, they will not become fully operational until 2027.
“These health emergencies won’t wait,” Kaseya stressed. “We need bold political leadership, sustained financial investment, and a coordinated continental response to protect our people.”
Mpox is a viral disease transmitted from animals to humans and via close human contact. It causes fever, rash, and muscle pain, and can be severe in vulnerable populations. Cholera, a bacterial infection spread through contaminated food and water, causes severe diarrhoea and dehydration, and can be fatal if untreated — especially in communities with poor sanitation.
