15-8-2024 (GENEVA) The World Health Organisation (WHO) has once again raised the alarm on mpox, declaring it a global public health emergency for the second time in two years. This decision comes in response to a significant outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that has begun to spill over into neighbouring countries.
An emergency committee convened to advise WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on whether to classify the outbreak as a “public health emergency of international concern” (PHEIC). This designation, the highest alert level within the WHO’s framework, aims to galvanise international cooperation, research, and funding to contain the spread of the disease.
Dr Tedros emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating, “It’s clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”
Mpox, a viral infection that spreads through close contact, typically presents with flu-like symptoms and characteristic pus-filled lesions. While usually mild, it can be fatal in rare cases. The current outbreak in the DRC began with an endemic strain known as clade I. However, a new variant, clade Ib, has emerged, displaying an alarming ability to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual transmission.
The outbreak has already crossed borders, with cases reported in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, prompting the WHO’s decisive action. Dr Tedros expressed particular concern about this development, noting, “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.”
Horrific new strain of #Mpox causing misery in DR Congo on border with Rwanda. Trudie Lang, Professor of Global Health Research at Oxford Uni, shared pictures with me. Says newborns also develop lesions in the womb. She has visited the area and fears cross border spread pic.twitter.com/upY9vs9k8c
— Richard Gaisford (@richardgaisford) June 26, 2024
In response to the crisis, the WHO has released US$1.5 million in contingency funds and plans to allocate more in the coming days. The organisation estimates that its initial response plan will require US$15 million and intends to appeal to donors for additional funding.
The gravity of the situation was further underscored earlier this week when Africa’s leading public health body declared an mpox emergency for the continent. They reported an alarming spread rate, with over 17,000 suspected cases and more than 500 deaths in 2024, primarily affecting children in the DRC.
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… pic.twitter.com/u2DSV6fitj
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) August 14, 2024
Professor Dimie Ogoina, chair of WHO’s mpox emergency committee, confirmed that all members unanimously agreed on the extraordinary nature of the current upsurge, citing record case numbers in the DRC.
While vaccines and behavioural changes successfully curbed the spread of a different mpox strain that affected primarily men who have sex with men globally in 2022, the situation in the DRC presents new challenges. The transmission routes in this outbreak require further study, and vaccines are not yet available in the affected regions.
The WHO is now working to develop and distribute vaccines, determining the most effective target groups for immunisation. The organisation has also appealed to countries with existing stockpiles to donate doses, highlighting the urgent need for global cooperation in addressing this evolving health crisis.
