African outbreak of sometimes lethal disease could spread further, World Health Organization warns
The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak of monkeypox in Africa to be a public health emergency of international concern—the highest level of alarm that can be expressed under international law.
Mpox, which is caused by a virus of the same name, is a sometimes lethal disease that causes rashes, lesions, fevers, headaches, pains and lethargy. It can be transmitted between people by touch and to people from animals. There have been more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths in Africa so far this year, the WHO said on 14 August.
An upsurge of the disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the emergence of a new ‘clade’ or subtype of the virus prompted the declaration of international concern.
More than 100 laboratory-confirmed cases of the new Mpox clade 1b have been detected in four countries that had not previously reported Mpox, according to the WHO: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “The emergence of a new clade of Mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying.
“On top of outbreaks of other Mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”
Need for collaboration
Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO’s regional director for Africa, said: “Significant efforts are already underway in close collaboration with communities and governments, with our country teams working on the frontlines to help reinforce measures to curb Mpox.”
Two vaccines against the disease are currently in use, under WHO recommendations. Last week, as reported by Research Professional News, Ghebreyesus triggered an emergency use listing for Mpox vaccines to accelerate access for lower-income countries.
The WHO says it is working with countries and vaccine manufacturers on vaccine dose donations as well as access to diagnostics and treatments.
It says that $15 million is needed for immediate surveillance and response efforts, with a needs assessment underway for longer-term actions.
This is the second time in recent years that the WHO has issued an international declaration over Mpox, after an international outbreak sparked the first declaration in July 2022. That declaration was withdrawn in May 2023 following a sustained decline in cases.