The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that has now spread to neighboring countries. This decision was made after an emergency committee met on Wednesday to advise WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on whether the situation warranted a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" (PHEIC).
PHEIC status represents WHO's highest level of alert, designed to accelerate research, funding, and international cooperation to contain a disease. Tedros emphasized the importance of a coordinated global response, stating, "It’s clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives."
Mpox, typically a mild viral infection, can spread through close contact and causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body. While it is usually not fatal, the outbreak in the DRC has raised concerns due to the emergence of a new variant, clade Ib, which appears to spread more easily, including through sexual contact. This variant has been detected in neighboring countries such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, prompting WHO's urgent response.
Tedros announced that WHO had already released $1.5 million in contingency funds and plans to allocate more in the coming days. The organization’s response plan will initially require $15 million, with WHO planning to appeal to donors for additional funding.
Africa’s top public health body recently declared an mpox emergency for the continent, warning of the virus's alarming spread. More than 17,000 suspected cases and over 500 deaths have been reported this year, predominantly among children in the DRC.
Professor Dimie Ogoina, chair of WHO’s mpox emergency committee, noted that the committee members unanimously agreed that the current surge in cases is an "extraordinary event." The WHO is particularly concerned about the transmission routes in the DRC, which require further study.
While vaccines helped curb a different strain of mpox in 2022, primarily among men who have sex with men, no vaccines are currently available for the clade Ib variant in the DRC. WHO is working on developing vaccines and determining the best target groups, while also appealing to countries with vaccine stockpiles to donate doses.
This new declaration by WHO underscores the urgency of international collaboration to contain the spread of mpox and mitigate its impact on global public health.
