On Wednesday, 14 August 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO)
declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency.
This decision comes after the emergence of a more virulent strain, clade
Ib, which has spread to four new countries, previously unaffected by
the virus.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the
declaration following a virtual meeting with the emergency committee. He
stated, “The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of mpox in
eastern DRC, its detection in neighbouring countries that had not
previously reported mpox and the potential for further spread within
Africa and beyond is very worrying.”
The declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern
(PHEIC) represents the highest level of alarm under international
health law. The committee, chaired by Dimie Ogoina, agreed that the
current outbreak is an “extraordinary event,” with Ogoina noting, “What
we have in Africa is the tip of the iceberg.”
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention had already
declared the outbreak a public health emergency of continental security.
Since January, over 17,000 mpox cases and more than 500 deaths have
been reported in 13 African countries, with the majority in the
Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, can spread through close contact
and contaminated materials. It is characterised by symptoms such as
fever, a painful rash, and enlarged lymph nodes. The outbreak has
extended beyond Africa, with cases also reported in Europe and North
America.
The WHO has initiated the Emergency Use Listing process for mpox
vaccines and is coordinating international efforts to manage the
outbreak, including increased surveillance and research. Dr. Maria Van
Kerkhove from WHO emphasised the need for a concerted global effort to
halt the virus's spread.