An Mpox outbreak in Africa has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a global health emergency on Aug. 14.
The announcement comes after experts convened a virtual meeting to advise WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the surge.
“Today the emergency committee met and advised me that in its view, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern,” the director-general said during a media briefing. “I have accepted that advice. … It’s clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that can be spread through close contact. Common symptoms of mpox include a skin rash, which can last two to four weeks, accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes, according to an official WHO description.
According to the WHO, a new strain spread rapidly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and quickly reached neighboring countries. The strain appears to be more easily transmissible through routine close contact.
“The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of Mpox in eastern DRC, its detection in neighboring countries that had not previously reported Mpox, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying,” the director-general said.
Mpox has been reported for more than a decade in the DRC, and each year, the number of cases has increased steadily over that time period. Last year saw a significant increase, and the number of cases reported so far this year has already surpassed the previous year’s total, with more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths across 13 different African countries including the DRC.
“WHO is on the ground, working with affected countries, and others at risk, as well as with partners including the [Africa Center for Disease Control, nongovernmental agencies], civil society and more,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement on X. “It’s clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”
The organization has released a response plan that requires an initial $15 million. So far, $1.45 million has been released from the WHO Contingency Fund, but more funds will be released in the coming days.
The declaration on Wednesday marks the second time in three years Mpox has reached emergency status. The global outbreak of Mpox was previously declared a public health emergency of international concern in July 2022 and ended in May 2023.
According to the WHO, a two-dose vaccine is effective at protecting people from Mpox.