RABAT, Morocco

The Moroccan Health Ministry announced on Friday that an international event on public health, set to be held in the country this November, has been postponed due to concerns over the monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak.

The decision to delay the 4th International Conference on Public Health was made following an official request from Jean Kaseya, director general of the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Kaseya emphasized that controlling the Mpox crisis, which requires significant international cooperation, is the top priority.

In a meeting with Moroccan Health Minister Khalid Ait Taleb, Kaseya highlighted the severe health challenges facing the African continent due to Mpox cases, including the first reported case in Morocco. The statement from the Moroccan Health Ministry did not specify a new date for the conference.

According to Africa CDC data, Africa has recorded over 26,000 suspected Mpox cases and 724 deaths this year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern in August, following the identification of a new clade 1 variant in several African countries.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara