On Aug. 14, 2024, The World Health Organization declared that the upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR).

Mpox has been reported in the DRC for more than a decade, and the number of cases reported each year has increased steadily over that period. In 2023, reported cases increased significantly, and the number of cases reported to-date exceeded last year’s total, with more than 15 600 cases and 537 deaths.