Mpox has killed 1,100 people in Africa so far this year as a lack of vaccines, congested refugee camps and prisons fuel the spread of a disease that can also result in blindness and disfigurement.

Africa's top public health agency says the number of mpox-related deaths in the continent has surpassed 1,000 and warned of the continuing threat of cross-border contamination and a lack of rapid test kits.

Rwanda's outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus is easing after vaccinations of the most vulnerable people including healthcare workers, but mpox cases are still spreading to new African countries, Rwanda's health minister and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention's head said on Thursday.

Cynthia Kodowu stresses the need for businesses in Africa to prioritise employee mental health, warning against the dangers of overwork.