Rating agency Fitch recently warned that the rapid spread of the mpox virus in sub-Saharan Africa could add to the fiscal pressures many countries in the region are already experiencing.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have declared the latest outbreak of mpox in Africa a health emergency. An epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to neighbouring countries.
Seven countries rated by Fitch – Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda – have confirmed mpox cases.
