GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday that mpox no longer constitutes a global public health emergency, citing a steady decline in cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other affected nations.
The UN health agency had declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in August 2024 after a severe two-pronged outbreak, primarily centered in the DRC.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the decision followed recommendations from the emergency committee’s quarterly meeting.
“This decision is based on sustained declines in cases and deaths in the DRC and in other affected countries, including Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Uganda,” he told reporters.
Tedros emphasized that the lifting of the emergency did not signal the end of the threat: “The possibility of continued flare-ups and new outbreaks remains. The situation is still considered a continental emergency in Africa.”
The African Union’s health watchdog echoed this concern, warning on Thursday that “the current downward trends are not yet stable enough” to justify easing measures at the continental level.
According to WHO data, more than 34,000 confirmed cases and 138 deaths were reported globally from January to July 2025, with over 15,000 cases in the DRC alone.
