WHO declares Mpox no longer an international health emergency

Mpox is no longer classified as an international health emergency, the World Health Organisation said on Friday, citing sustained reductions in cases and deaths across affected countries.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the decision follows advice from the organisation’s Emergency Committee, which assesses the outbreak every three months.

"This decision is based on sustained declines in cases and as in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in other affected countries, including Burundi, Sierra Leone and Uganda," Tedros said. He explained that while the emergency status has been lifted, the disease has not been eradicated.

“Mpox is still present, and countries must not let their guard down,” he added, urging governments to continue public health measures introduced during the emergency phase.

Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, is caused by an orthopoxvirus closely related to smallpox. The disease causes fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a distinctive rash that develops into painful, pus-filled lesions.

WHO renamed the virus in 2022 to reduce stigma, but there is no cure, and treatment remains largely supportive. The virus spreads through close contact with infected people, animals, or contaminated materials.

In Kenya, mpox continues to pose a public health challenge. Ministry of Health data shows more than 314 confirmed cases across 22 counties by early August 2025.

Later updates indicated the tally had risen to over 330 cases in at least 24 counties, with Mombasa accounting for nearly half of the total.

The coastal city and the Mombasa–Malaba transport corridor have emerged as the main centres of transmission.

Many infections have been linked to truck drivers, sex workers, and their close contacts. Several fatalities have been reported, highlighting the ongoing threat of the disease despite the WHO’s announcement.