Geneva, Switzerland · 5 September 2025 — More than a year after declaring the mpox upsurge a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the Emergency Committee had advised the situation no longer represents an international health emergency. Dr. Tedros accepted the advice, formally ending the PHEIC on 5 September 2025.
The decision was based on sustained declines in cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other affected countries, including Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. The Director-General also cited a better understanding of the drivers of transmission, the risk factors for severity, and the development of sustained response capacity in the most affected countries.
"More than a year ago, I declared a public health emergency of international concern over the spread of mpox in Africa, on the advice of an Emergency Committee convened under the International Health Regulations. Since then, the Emergency Committee has met every three months to evaluate the outbreak. Yesterday, they met again and advised me that in their view, the situation no longer represents an international health emergency. I have accepted that advice." — Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General
A Year of Coordinated Response
The PHEIC was declared on 14 August 2024, driven by the emergence and rapid spread of a novel clade Ib strain of the mpox virus in the eastern DRC and its detection in neighbouring countries that had never reported mpox before. It was the second time in two years that the WHO had declared a PHEIC for mpox; the previous one, focused on clade II, lasted from July 2022 to May 2023.
Over the 13 months of the emergency, the WHO and partners maintained a coordinated response across multiple fronts:
The response involved collaboration between WHO, Africa CDC, UNICEF, MSF, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. In November 2025, these partners established an mpox vaccine stockpile to ensure equitable and sustainable access to vaccines for outbreak response and prevention.
Lifting the Emergency, Not the Threat
Dr. Tedros was explicit that ending the PHEIC did not mean the threat was over. He noted that Africa CDC had decided the previous day that mpox remains a continental emergency, and that the possibility of continued flare-ups and new outbreaks remains, requiring adequate surveillance and response capacity.
The Director-General identified several ongoing challenges:
- Mpox clades continue to circulate across multiple WHO regions
- Surveillance and access to diagnostics remains patchy
- Response capacities are under strain from limited funding
- Community engagement requires sustained investment and local partner coordination
Ongoing efforts are needed to protect the most vulnerable groups, particularly young children and people living with HIV.
Africa CDC Maintains Continental Emergency
While the WHO lifted the international emergency, Africa CDC maintained its own declaration of a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), which had been in place since 13 August 2024. The continental body would not lift its emergency status until 22 January 2026, based on a significant decline in suspected and confirmed cases.
This divergence between the two declarations highlighted the different mandates and risk assessments of the two organisations. The WHO's PHEIC is designed to trigger international coordination under the International Health Regulations, while Africa CDC's PHECS is specifically designed to galvanise African Union member states into continental action.
A Concurrent Ebola Outbreak
In the same media briefing, Dr. Tedros noted that the government of the DRC had declared an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the central province of Kasai the previous day. As of 5 September 2025, 28 suspected cases and 16 deaths had been reported, including four health workers.
WHO already had staff on the ground in Kasai, with more on the way. The organisation had prepositioned 2,000 doses of Ebola vaccine in Kinshasa, which were being released to vaccinate contacts and health workers. WHO released US$ 500,000 from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to fund the response.
Looking Forward
As of early 2026, mpox cases continued to be reported across multiple WHO regions, with ongoing community transmission of the clade Ib strain in several countries. The WHO and Africa CDC maintained a coordinated emergency response, supporting countries to reduce transmission, address stigma, and expand access to testing, care, and vaccination.
The end of the PHEIC marked a transition from emergency response to sustained management — a phase that public health experts warn requires continued funding, surveillance, and political commitment to prevent resurgence.
Sources
- WHO, "WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing – 5 September 2025,"
- BMJ, "WHO declares mpox emergency over but says threat remains," September 2025,
- CIDRAP, "WHO winds down mpox public health emergency," September 2025,
- STAT News, "WHO declares end of global emergency over mpox outbreak," 5 September 2025,
- WHO, Fifth meeting of the IHR Emergency Committee regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024, 30 October 2025,
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