WHO Declares Mpox Outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the recent upsurge of Mpox, previously called monkeypox, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and several African nations a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The decision follows the detection of a more dangerous strain of the virus, clade Ib, and the recommendations from the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating, “The emergence of a new clade of Mpox, its rapid spread in the eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying.” He highlighted the need for a coordinated international response to control the outbreaks and save lives.

Professor Dimie Ogoina, Chair of the Emergency Committee, warned that the mpox surge, including a new sexually transmissible strain, poses a global emergency. 

 

 

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) also declared the outbreak a public health emergency of continental security earlier this week, reported CNN. 

This is the second PHEIC declaration for MPoX in two years. The disease, endemic to central and west Africa, saw a global outbreak in 2022, which was declared over in May 2023. The current outbreak has led to more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths in the DRC, with a concerning new strain, clade 1b, spreading through neighbouring countries.

The WHO has released US$ 1.45 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies and anticipates a need for US$ 15 million to support response efforts. WHO is also facilitating access to vaccines and other medical tools.