CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) – The Democratic Republic of Congo has officially announced the conclusion of a two-year outbreak of mpox, a viral disease that has reportedly resulted in over 2,200 fatalities within the country. Health Minister Roger Kamba informed the media that the government has determined the outbreak is no longer a national emergency.

The outbreak, which primarily affected Congo, spread to neighboring nations in 2024 and prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to categorize it as a global health emergency due to the cross-border transmission of the virus. However, the WHO lifted the global health emergency designation in September.

During the outbreak, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported over 161,000 suspected cases of mpox in Congo from 2024 to the present, with approximately 37,000 cases confirmed through laboratory testing. The Africa CDC documented 2,286 suspected deaths associated with the outbreak, though only 127 of these fatalities were confirmed through tests.

Mpox, known previously as monkeypox, was originally identified by researchers in 1958 when outbreaks of a “pox-like” disease were recorded in monkeys. Historically, most human cases were found in individuals in Central and West Africa who had close contact with contaminated animals. However, in 2022, mpox was confirmed to have spread through sexual contact for the first time, leading to outbreaks in over 70 countries that had not reported cases of the disease before.

According to the WHO, the most prevalent symptoms of mpox include a rash and fever, although it can occasionally lead to severe illness. The majority of individuals affected by the virus recover fully.

The recent declaration by the Congolese government marks a significant milestone in public health for the region, as the country has been at the forefront of battling this infectious disease. The cessation of the outbreak indicates a positive turn in the ongoing efforts to manage and control mpox in Central Africa.

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