FILE - A man suffering from mpox waits for treatment at the Kamituga General Hospital in South Kivu Congo, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)
SACAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Congo on Thursday declared the end of a two-year outbreak of the mpox disease that's believed to have caused more than 2,200 deaths in the country.
Health Minister Roger Kamba told journalists that the government had made the determination that the outbreak was over and no longer a national emergency.
Congo, a vast country in central Africa, was of the infectious viral disease that spread to neighboring countries in 2024 and prompted the World Health Organization to declare it as it spilled over borders. WHO ended the global health emergency declaration
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were more than 161,000 suspected cases of mpox in Congo during the outbreak between 2024 and this year, with around 37,000 of them confirmed through tests.
The Africa CDC said there were 2,286 suspected deaths but only 127 were confirmed by tests.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, was first identified by scientists in 1958 when there were outbreaks of a “pox-like†disease in monkeys. Until a few years ago, most human cases were seen in people in central and West Africa who had close contact with infected animals.
In 2022, the virus was confirmed to for the first time and triggered outbreaks in more than 70 countries that had not previously reported mpox.
The most common symptoms of mpox, according to WHO, are a rash and fever, but it can sometimes cause serious illness. Most people recover fully.
___
For more on Africa and development:
The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at .
The Associated Press
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Tax: | |
| Today's total: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
