Africa's top public health body declared what it termed a "public health emergency of continental security" on Tuesday over an outbreak of mpox that spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbouring countries.

"I declare with a heavy heart but with an unyielding commitment to our people, to our African citizens, we declare mpox as public health emergency of continental security," Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said during an online media briefing.

Mpox is transmitted through close contact and causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. Most cases are mild but it can kill.

The outbreak in Congo began with the spread of an endemic strain, known as Clade I.
But the new variant, known as Clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, particularly among children.

The Africa CDC warned last week the viral infection's rate of spread was alarming.

It said that more than 15,000 mpox cases and 461 deaths were reported on the continent this year so far, representing a 160 percent increase from the same period last year.

Mpox has been endemic in parts of Africa for decades after it was first detected in human in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970.

A milder version of the virus spread to over 100 countries in 2022, largely through sexual contact, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency of international concern, its highest level of alert.

The WHO ended the emergency 10 months later, saying the health crisis had come under control. (Reuters)