Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other African countries a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). This decision was made by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus following advice from an independent expert committee.
The declaration was prompted by the rapid spread of a new mpox strain, clade 1b, in eastern DRC and neighboring countries. Dr. Tedros emphasized the urgent need for a coordinated global response, stating, “The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighboring countries are very worrying.”
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, highlighted ongoing efforts to control the outbreak, saying, “Significant efforts are already underway in close collaboration with communities and governments.” She added that WHO is scaling up its response to support affected countries.
The PHEIC determination is the second in two years related to mpox. The disease, endemic to central and west Africa, was first identified in humans in 1970. A global outbreak in 2022 was declared over in May 2023 after a decline in cases. However, the current outbreak in the DRC, with over 15,600 cases and 537 deaths reported so far this year, has raised serious concerns.
Professor Dimie Ogoina, Chair of the Emergency Committee, stressed the global significance of the outbreak, stating, “The current upsurge of mpox in parts of Africa, along with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the monkeypox virus, is an emergency, not only for Africa, but for the entire globe.”
The WHO is working to ensure equitable access to vaccines and treatments, and has initiated a process for Emergency Use Listing for mpox vaccines to expedite access in lower-income countries. Immediate funding of $15 million is needed for surveillance, preparedness, and response activities, with WHO already releasing $1.45 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies.
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