The World Health Organization (WHO) has once again declared Mpox, a highly infectious disease formerly known as monkeypox, a global health emergency. This comes after the disease claimed the lives of at least 450 people during an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has since spread to parts of central and east Africa.
Scientists are particularly concerned about a new, more virulent variant of the virus, known as Clade Ib, which has been spreading rapidly with a high fatality rate. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the urgent need for a coordinated international response to stop the outbreak and save lives.
By declaring Mpox a public health emergency, it is hoped that research, funding, and the implementation of international public health measures will be accelerated. Two main strains of the virus are currently circulating, with Clade Ib being described as the “most dangerous yet” by one scientist.
The disease spreads through close contact with infected individuals, leading to lesions across the body and, in some cases, death. Since the beginning of the year, there have been over 13,700 cases of Mpox in the DR Congo, with at least 450 deaths. The disease has also been detected in other African countries, including Burundi, the Central African Republic, Kenya, and Rwanda.
This is not the first time Mpox has prompted a public health emergency declaration by the WHO. In July 2022, a milder strain spread to nearly 100 countries, including some in Europe and Asia, but was brought under control through vaccination efforts.
On Tuesday, scientists from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention also declared a public health emergency, warning that immediate action is needed to contain the disease before it spirals out of control. The head of the organization, Jean Kaseya, stressed the importance of proactive and aggressive measures to eliminate this threat.
