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The Central African Republic has become the latest country in the region to declare an outbreak of vaccinia virus.
Health Minister Pierre Somse said the infection was first confined to rural areas but has since spread to the capital, Bangui.
He also told a local radio station that some families were hiding infected relatives for fear of discrimination, increasing the risk to others.
Cases of the highly contagious disease have recently been detected in Rwanda and Burundi, while a new strain is also spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Dr. Somsai told reporters on Monday that because Bangui is relatively densely populated, the risk of human-to-human transmission is now very high.
Monkeypox, once known as monkeypox, is spread between animals and humans through close contact, contaminated objects and respiratory droplets.
It causes symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, and systemic lesions. If left untreated, mpox can be fatal.
According to medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded more than 12,300 suspected cases and 479 deaths in the first half of this year.
Experts say the new strain there is expected to have a 10% mortality rate.
Neighboring Burundi recently confirmed three new cases, while Rwanda found two.
South Africa has recorded 20 cases, including two deaths.
African pox virus is endemic in parts of West and Central Africa, and cases have been increasing on the continent for decades.
In 2022, the global MPOX outbreak affected Europe, Australia, the United States, and many other countries.
Additional reporting by Richard Kagoe
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