The World Health Organization (WHO) has on Wednesday declared mpox virus (Monkeypox) a global public health emergency, after outbreaks in several African countries, reported the Associated Press (AP).
The WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “This is something that should concern us all … The potential for further spread beyond Africa and beyond is very worrying.”
Mpox Outbreaks
Earlier this week, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the mpox outbreaks a public health emergency, following the death of over 500 people in more than a dozen countries, and called for international help to stop the virus’ spread.
The current mpox outbreak started in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and has spread to neighboring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
The Africa CDC previously said that mpox cases have been detected in 13 countries in Africa this year. So far, there have been over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths. Hence, the mpox cases have increased by 160% and deaths have surged by 19%, compared to the same period last year.
Global Emergency
The Chairman of the Africa CDC emergency group, Salim Abdool Karim, said: “We are now in a situation where (mpox) poses a risk to many more neighbors in and around central Africa.” He warned that the death rate of the new mpox version ranges between 3-4%.
Officials at the Africa CDC noted that children under 15 accounted for about 70% of cases in Congo, and 85% of deaths. The mpox virus spreads via close contact with infected people. It causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills and body aches. In more serious cases, it causes lesions on the body.
In 2022, the WHO declared mpox a global emergency, after it spread to more than 70 countries. Before that, the disease had mostly appeared in sporadic epidemics in central and West Africa, typically through contact with infected animals.
