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The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency, citing concerns about the spread of a deadlier strain of the virus. The decision follows a meeting of independent experts who advised WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to raise the alert level.
The emergency stems from the detection of a more severe strain of mpox, known as clade Ib, in four African countries where it hadn't been seen before. Previously, this strain was confined to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The outbreak has already affected 13 countries in Africa, with over 17,000 cases and more than 500 deaths reported this year. The DRC alone accounts for the vast majority of these cases, reporting 96% of confirmed infections this month.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that spreads through close contact with infected individuals or animals, as well as through contaminated materials like clothing or bedding. Symptoms include fever, a painful rash, and swollen lymph nodes. The virus has two main genetic clades, with clade Ib causing more severe illness.
WHO officials emphasized the need for a coordinated international response, including increased surveillance, diagnostics, and research to better understand and contain the virus. The organization has also approved the emergency use of mpox vaccines, with half a million doses currently available and millions more expected by the end of the year.
The situation has prompted a call for global cooperation to halt the spread of the virus and prevent further loss of life.
[Source: CNN]
