Sierra Leone is grappling with a sharp rise in mpox cases, with 1,140 infections and nine deaths recorded so far in 2025, the country’s health ministry confirmed Thursday.
This marks a significant jump from last week’s tally of 763 cases and six deaths, underscoring the fast-moving nature of the outbreak that prompted the government to declare a public health emergency in January.
The capital, Freetown, remains the epicenter of the outbreak, reporting the highest number of confirmed cases. In response, the government has ramped up containment efforts, including vaccinations and treatment center expansions.
“We are ramping up the vaccination drive in Freetown, border towns and rural areas—mainly for frontline health workers and high-risk hotspots—to ensure the protection of our people from the virus,” said Desmond Maada Kangbai, head of the health ministry’s vaccination program.
Sierra Leone launched its mpox vaccination campaign in early April after receiving 61,300 doses from the World Health Organization. The campaign prioritizes children aged 12 and above, healthcare workers, and high-risk individuals. So far, 2,500 people have been vaccinated, Kangbai added.
Since February, the government has opened four dedicated treatment centers in Freetown to manage the growing number of cases.
Mpox, a viral disease related to smallpox, causes high fever and painful skin lesions. While previously endemic to a few African countries, it began spreading globally in 2022, prompting the World Health Organization to declare its highest alert level in 2024.
This outbreak has stirred painful memories in Sierra Leone, which was devastated by the Ebola epidemic between 2014 and 2016, losing around 4,000 people, including nearly 7% of its health workforce.
