The WHO has declared a health emergency due to a new surge in mpox cases in Africa, just two years after the last outbreak was controlled.

By First Check Team

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the rise in mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other African countries as a public health emergency of international concern. This decision was based on advice from an independent committee, which warned that the mpox outbreak could spread further within and beyond Africa.

The outbreak is particularly severe in the DRC, which has seen over 15,600 cases and 537 deaths this year. A new strain of the virus, Clade 1b, is spreading rapidly within the DRC and has now reached neighbouring countries like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, countries that had not previously reported mpox cases.  

The DRC is the centre of the outbreak, with over 96% of cases and deaths. A new variant, Clade 1b, has emerged in the DRC and spread to countries like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, which hadn't reported mpox cases before. The situation is so serious that WHO felt it necessary to declare this outbreak a global health emergency.

Professor Dimie Ogoina, a Nigerian infectious disease physician-scientist, emphasised that the current mpox surge, along with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain, is a global emergency. He warned that, like in 2022, if neglected, this could lead to another worldwide outbreak, urging immediate action.

In response to the crisis, WHO is working closely with affected countries to increase testing, improve surveillance, and boost vaccination efforts. 

Two vaccines are currently recommended for mpox, and WHO is making sure they are available, especially in low-income countries that might struggle to get them on their own.

The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasised that a coordinated international response is crucial to prevent the virus from spreading further. WHO is also coordinating with international partners to ensure that vaccines, treatments, and other essential tools are distributed fairly to those who need them most. 

This outbreak is a serious threat, not just to Africa, but to global health, and it requires urgent and widespread action to bring it under control.