August 15, World (LNW): The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the recent mpox outbreak in central and east Africa as a public health emergency of international concern.
Previously known as monkeypox, the disease has caused over 450 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) alone and is now rapidly spreading across multiple African nations, raising alarm due to a newly evolved variant.
This outbreak is driven by Clade 1, a more lethal strain of the virus, with the emergence of a variant known as Clade 1b.
Scientists warn that this variant is “the most dangerous yet,” with a high fatality rate and swift transmission.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for urgent international coordination, expressing concern about the virus’s potential to spread further within Africa and beyond.
Since early 2024, over 13,700 mpox cases have been reported in the DRC, along with confirmed cases in countries including Kenya, Burundi, and Rwanda.
The outbreak’s severity has prompted the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to also declare a public health emergency, urging immediate containment efforts.
Mpox spreads through close contact, such as intimate encounters or skin-to-skin contact, and can result in flu-like symptoms, skin lesions, and death in severe cases.
The WHO’s previous mpox emergency in 2022 involved the milder Clade 2 strain, which caused significant outbreaks worldwide, particularly among men who have sex with men.
That situation was eventually controlled through targeted vaccination campaigns.
Experts like Dr. Josie Golding from the Wellcome Trust and Professor Trudie Lang of the University of Oxford have emphasised the importance of the emergency declaration in driving research and international action, while also acknowledging the many uncertainties surrounding this rapidly evolving crisis.
Immediate global attention is needed to contain this escalating outbreak, with hopes that the emergency status will mobilise resources, funding, and international cooperation to address the threat posed by this virus.
