Congo Declares End to Two-Year Mpox Outbreak

Congo has officially declared the end of its two-year mpox outbreak, a disease that caused over 2,200 suspected deaths in the country. The announcement, made on Thursday, April 2, 2026, by Health Minister Roger Kamba, signifies a major step forward in controlling the infectious viral disease according to the Associated Press.

The Outbreak and Its Impact

The outbreak, which began in 2024, quickly became a national emergency in Congo, a vast country in central Africa. It also spread to neighboring countries, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare it a global health emergency. The WHO lifted the global health emergency declaration in September as reported by the Associated Press.

During the outbreak, between 2024 and 2026, more than 161,000 suspected cases of mpox were reported in Congo, with around 37,000 confirmed through laboratory testing according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While there were 2,286 suspected deaths, only 127 were confirmed by tests.

Understanding Mpox

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, was first identified in 1958 when outbreaks of a “pox-like” disease were observed in monkeys as detailed by the Associated Press. Historically, most human cases occurred in central and West Africa and were linked to close contact with infected animals.

In 2022, the virus spread via sexual contact for the first time, triggering outbreaks in over 70 countries that had not previously reported mpox according to the Associated Press.

Current Risk and Transmission

According to the CDC, as of March 23, 2026, several countries in Central and Eastern Africa have confirmed over 53,000 clade I monkeypox cases, including more than 200 deaths as reported by the CDC. From March 2025 to March 2026, 30 countries reported 37,170 confirmed cases, including 165 deaths.

The CDC notes that transmission dynamics are changing, with 8 of 33 exported clade Ib monkeypox cases worldwide originating in Central or Eastern African countries between January and March 2026 according to the CDC. The risk to the general public in the United States remains low, but the risk to men who have sex with men is considered low to moderate.

Clade Ia monkeypox outbreaks began impacting western areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2024, and available data indicate that clade Ia monkeypox has spread through sexual contact, regular household contact, and encounters with infected dead or live wild animals as reported by the CDC.

Symptoms of Mpox

The most common symptoms of mpox, according to the WHO, are a rash and fever, but the illness can sometimes cause serious complications as reported by the Associated Press.