WHO Declares Global Health Emergency Amid Spread of New Mpox Variant
The World Health Organization has declared the recent surge of mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and several other African countries a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This decision was announced by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus following recommendations from an emergency committee of independent experts.
The declaration comes in response to the rapid spread of a new clade of mpox, particularly in eastern DRC, and its appearance in neighboring countries. The situation is deemed worrying due to its potential for further spread across Africa and possibly beyond. Dr. Tedros emphasized the need for a coordinated international response to contain these outbreaks and save lives.
This marks the second PHEIC declaration for mpox in two years. The previous emergency, declared in July 2022 due to a multi-country outbreak, was lifted in May 2023 after a sustained decline in global cases. However, the current situation in Africa presents new challenges.
The DRC has been grappling with mpox for over a decade, with case numbers steadily increasing. This year has already seen more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths, surpassing last year’s total. Of particular concern is the emergence and rapid spread of a new virus strain, clade 1b, which appears to be transmitted primarily through sexual networks.
In the past month, over 100 laboratory-confirmed cases of clade 1b have been reported in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda — countries that had not previously reported mpox. Experts suspect the actual number of cases may be higher due to limited testing.
In response, the WHO is working on accelerating vaccine access for lower-income countries and coordinating with partners to facilitate equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other tools. The organization has released initial funding of $1.45 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies and estimates an immediate funding requirement of $15 million to support surveillance, preparedness, and response activities.
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