By Iyemah David
Africa continues to face multiple public health crises, recording outbreaks of cholera, measles, and monkeypox (MPOX), according to the latest weekly report from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Deputy Incident Manager for MPOX at Africa CDC’s Incident Management Support Team (IMST), Professor Yap Boum II, disclosed the updates on Thursday during the weekly high-level regional press briefing.
He said the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remained the epicentre of several health emergencies, with 20 of its 26 provinces affected by cholera and a fatality ratio of 2.79 per cent.
“Cases rose slightly from 1,294 last week to 1,360 this week, although deaths have declined,” Prof. Boum said, adding that poor sanitation in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and seasonal flooding fuelled the outbreak.
“To curb the spread, the DRC government has implemented preventive and reactive vaccination campaigns targeting high-risk zones in Kinshasa, including Limite, Kalabi, Kalpemba, Kibula, and Manika,” he said.
He emphasised that multisectoral interventions, including improved water access and sanitation, were critical to complement vaccination efforts and reduced the risk of future outbreaks.
“Measles remains another pressing concern in DRC, with 36,000 reported cases and 364 deaths this year.
“Children aged 12 to 59 months account for 55 per cent of infections. Overcrowded IDP camps and conflict-affected regions, particularly North Kivu and South Kivu, remain major barriers to reaching vulnerable populations,” Boum said.
He added that integrated Measles-Rubella campaigns alongside polio drives were planned in coming weeks.
“In Mozambique, cholera continues with second-wave outbreaks, although deaths dropped from six last week to zero this week, bringing the cumulative total to 125 fatalities.
“The country is pursuing preventive vaccination, which offers 3–5 years immunity, and reactive vaccination to curb immediate spread.
“Other affected countries include Angola, where roughly half the population lacks safe drinking water, and Zambia, where outbreaks are driven by contaminated water, poor sanitation, and weak healthcare systems,” he said.
He emphasised the ongoing surveillance and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions.
On MPOX, Boum said Africa had recorded a 90 per cent decline in cases since the peak weekly average of 1,000 in week 17 of 2025.
Prof. Boum said that Madagascar, DRC, Kenya, and Burundi accounted for 82 per cent of recent cases.
“Vaccination campaigns targeting frontline workers and key populations are ongoing, with community engagement and risk communication forming a crucial part of the containment strategy.
“In spite of progress, community transmission remains a challenge in hotspots, requiring medical countermeasures, contact tracing, and robust public health interventions, Boum emphasised.
“Cholera continues to pose a continental threat, with Africa reporting nearly 26,000 cases and 514 deaths across 14 member states, representing 99 per cent of global cholera deaths.
“The DRC and Mozambique alone account for 82 per cent of cases and 86 per cent of deaths. Positive developments include Kenya, Sudan, and Tanzania declaring the end of outbreaks,” he added.
Boum stressed the importance of strengthening health systems, improving domestic financing, and advancing local vaccine and medical countermeasure production to bolster Africa’s health security.
“High-level engagements with the European Union and leadership meetings in Zimbabwe and Kenya were held to advance health security and sovereignty on the continent,” he said.
He also highlighted maternal and child health, noting that nearly 178,000 mothers and one million newborns die annually in Africa from preventable causes.
“Integrated health campaigns, sustainable financing, and innovation in health service delivery remain key priorities for improving outcomes,” he added.
Boum added that safeguarding public health required continued political commitment, community engagement, and science-driven solutions to prevent avoidable deaths and strengthened resilient health systems across Africa.
