Africa CDC declares mpox outbreak a public health emergency

Democratic Republic of the Congo among countries affected by the virus, with death toll now more than 1,450

• What do we know about ‘alarming’ mpox outbreak in Africa?

The African Union’s health watchdog has 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 Congo, where the virus formerly called monkeypox was first discovered in humans in 1970.