KINSHASA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Thursday declared the end of the mpox outbreak as a public health emergency of national concern, following years of response efforts, health authorities said.
The announcement was made at an official ceremony attended by government officials, health experts and international partners.
Health Minister Roger Kamba said the end of the epidemic was the result of "deliberate choices and lessons learned" from past health crises, including the Ebola outbreak.
He noted that the country had faced multiple epidemics simultaneously, including mpox, cholera and Ebola.
"We have not eradicated the virus, but we have ended the epidemic," he said, noting that continued surveillance and preparedness are essential to prevent resurgence.
Between the first week of 2024 and the second week of 2026, more than 80,000 samples were tested, with over 34,000 laboratory-confirmed cases and more than 2,200 deaths reported, according to the National Institute for Biomedical Research.
The DRC declared a mpox outbreak in December 2022. The World Health Organization designated mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in August 2024, before lifting the status for Africa in September 2025.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is a rare viral disease typically transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials. The infection often causes fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes. ■
