- The Director-General of the World Health Organization indicated that he would seek guidance from independent experts on whether the escalating spread of the mpox virus in Africa necessitates a global emergency declaration.
- The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a 160% increase in cases and a 19% rise in deaths compared to the same time last year.
- Earlier this year, researchers identified a new, more lethal variant of mpox in Congo, which has a fatality rate of up to 10%.
On Wednesday, the head of the World Health Organization announced plans to assemble a panel of experts to assess whether the rising incidence of the mpox virus in Africa should be labeled a global emergency.
During a press briefing in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that due to the increasing number of mpox cases beyond Congo, he has resolved to request independent experts to provide their advice to WHO “as soon as feasible.”
Last week, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that mpox, commonly referred to as monkeypox, has been identified in 10 African nations this year, including Congo, which accounts for over 96% of all cases and deaths. Compared to the same timeframe last year, cases have surged by 160% and deaths have increased by 19%.
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African CDC officials noted that approximately 70% of the cases in Congo are among children under 15, who represent 85% of the fatalities.
Mpox was reported in Burundi and Rwanda for the first time last week, while other nations, such as Kenya and the Central African Republic, also recorded cases.
A colorized transmission electron micrograph displays monkeypox particles (red) within an infected cell (blue). Kenya and the Central African Republic reported new mpox outbreaks on July 31, 2024, as health officials across Africa hurry to control the disease’s spread.
(NIAID via AP, File)
WHO’s Tedros announced that the agency has allocated $1 million from its emergency fund to aid the response to mpox.
Earlier this year, researchers discovered a new variant of the more severe mpox strain in a mining region of Congo, raising concerns about its potential to spread more readily among individuals. Mpox is transmitted through close contact with infected individuals, including sexual activity.
In 2022, WHO classified mpox as a global emergency after it spread to over 70 nations, primarily affecting gay and bisexual men. Prior to that outbreak, the illness was generally limited to sporadic occurrences in Central and West Africa when individuals came into contact with infected animals.
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Western nations largely curtailed the spread of mpox with the assistance of vaccines and treatments, but availability has been very limited in Africa.
Maria Van Kerkhove, who oversees WHO’s outbreak department, identified several alarming issues regarding the mpox situation in Africa and urged for a more prompt response.
“We do not want the world to stand by and wait,” she stated. “The time to act is now.”
