ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from Africa's ongoing mpox outbreak is approaching 2,000 since the beginning of 2024, amid recent "encouraging" decline in the number of cases, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

During an online media briefing on Thursday evening, Yap Boum II, deputy incident manager for mpox at the Africa CDC, said that 29 mpox-affected African countries have reported 185,994 cases since the start of last year. Of these, 51,969 were confirmed, and 1,987 related deaths were recorded.

Data from the African Union's specialized healthcare agency showed that the continent has reported 105,697 mpox cases so far in 2025, surpassing last year's total of 80,297.

Due to improving continental mpox response efforts, the Africa CDC witnessed a "continuous decline" in both confirmed and suspected cases over the past weeks, especially when compared to this year's peak season recorded around May.

Data from the Africa CDC showed that the average weekly confirmed cases fell by 52 percent, from a peak of 1,441 weekly average cases in May to 695 cases over the past five weeks.

The Africa CDC further commended the increase in testing coverage as a positive development, with testing coverage moving from 30 percent to 66 percent from all suspected cases over the last six weeks.

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.

The Africa CDC, in August last year, declared the ongoing mpox outbreak a public health emergency of continental security. Shortly afterward, the World Health Organization designated the viral disease as a public health emergency of international concern. ■