Global Health Emergency Declared by World Health Organization for Mpox Outbreak in Africa

On Aug. 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of mpox, also known as monkeypox, in Africa a public health emergency of international concern due to the rising number of cases and deaths in recent months.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the United Nations’ WHO, announced the declaration in Geneva, accepting a recommendation from WHO’s emergency committee.

There have been over 14,000 reported cases and 524 reported deaths in Africa this year, a significant increase from last year. Tedros also highlighted the emergence of a new mpox strain, or clade, which he described as concerning.

“In addition to other outbreaks of different clades of mpox in various parts of Africa, it’s evident that a coordinated international response is crucial to halt these outbreaks and save lives,” Tedros stated during a briefing.

Mpox is a virus that affects both animals and humans, spreading between people and causing an illness characterized by a rash that typically resolves within a few weeks. However, some cases can be fatal.

Mpox has primarily impacted men who have sex with other men.

A public health emergency of international concern, also known as a global health emergency, is the highest level of alarm that WHO can raise. It is declared for extraordinary events considered to pose a public health risk through the international spread of disease.

COVID-19 was declared a public health emergency of international concern in 2020 and ended in 2023 after a significant drop in the number of cases.

The WHO declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern in 2022 but lifted the declaration on May 11, 2023. Tedros stated at that time that countries had successfully contained the mpox outbreak caused by the clade 2b strain.

“Today, I pledge that African citizens will spearhead this battle with all available resources,” stated Jean Kaseya, the agency’s head, during a briefing.

Africa is working on securing more vaccines as it currently only has about 200,000 doses but estimates needing over 10 million.

The emergence of the new clade 1b variant in the Democratic Republic of Congo has raised concerns. Clade 1, known as the Congo Basin clade, historically causes more severe disease than clade 2, also known as the West African clade.

Cases of clade 1b have been identified in other African countries like Kenya and Uganda, prompting Tedros to convene the emergency committee to discuss advising a global health emergency declaration. Some of these nations had never previously reported a case of mpox.

“We believe there is already a risk of international spread, and there is also the possibility of it spreading beyond Africa to other parts of the world,” Tedros warned.

All clade 1 cases have been identified in Africa, indicating a low risk in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. European authorities have also assessed the risk as low but have cautioned doctors to be vigilant for cases among individuals who recently visited Congo or neighboring countries.

The WHO has been actively working on the ground with affected African countries, providing equipment for blood sample analysis and training healthcare workers. They estimate the work will cost $15 million and are seeking donations to cover a portion of the expenses.

“In the days and weeks ahead, WHO is committed to coordinating the global response, collaborating closely with each affected country, and utilizing our presence in the field to prevent transmission, treat the infected, and save lives,” Tedros affirmed.