WHO declares global health emergency on mpox outbreak as new virus emerges

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Monkey pox (mpox) outbreaks in Congo and other parts of Africa a global health emergency on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.

There have been cases confirmed among children and adults in more than a dozen countries and a new form of the virus spreading with few vaccine doses available on the continent.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had announced earlier this week that the mpox outbreaks were a public health emergency, with more than 500 d3aths, and called for international help to stop the virus’ spread.

“This is something that should concern us all. The potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The Africa CDC previously said mpox, also known as monkeypox, has been detected in 13 countries this year, and more than 96% of all cases and d3aths are in Congo. Cases are up 160% and d3aths are up 19% compared with the same period last year. So far, there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 people have d+ed.

“We are now in a situation where (mpox) poses a risk to many more neighbors in and around central Africa,” said Salim Abdool Karim, a South African infectious diseases expert who chairs the Africa CDC emergency group. He said the new version of mpox spreading from Congo appears to have a d3ath rate of about 3-4%.