An urgent meeting on mpox has been convened by the World Health Organization due to its spread outside of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
A virus that is common in Central and West Africa causes mpox. Physical contact with an infected person, animal, or contaminated object can spread the infection.
Skin rash or lesions, fever, headache, aches in the muscles, back pain, low energy, and enlarged lymph nodes are among the symptoms. Two years ago, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, mpox cases started to appear worldwide, giving the disease international attention.
The outbreak came to an end in May 2023 after being deemed a public health emergency of worldwide significance in July 2022. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus called an emergency committee due to the circumstances and the possibility of further international spread both inside and outside of Africa.
He will get advice from the committee regarding whether the epidemic qualifies as a global public health emergency. The UN agency has the highest level of alertness assigned to it.
He said in Geneva on Wednesday that “the committee will meet as soon as possible and will be made up of independent experts from a range of relevant disciplines from around the world.”
According to Mr. Ghebreyesus, there has been a serious mpox outbreak in the DRC since the start of the year. There have been reported about 14,000 cases and 511 deaths.
The number of cases reported annually has been rising rapidly, and outbreaks have been documented in the nation for decades, but the caseload for the first half of this year is equal to the total for 2023.
“About 50 confirmed cases and more suspected cases have been reported in four neighboring countries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo that have not previously reported: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda,” he stated.
According to Mr. Ghebreyesus, distinct viral groups known as clades are the source of mpox epidemics.
According to Mr. Ghebreyesus, “Clade 2 cases have been reported in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, and South Africa, while cases of clade 1a have been reported this year in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, and the Republic of Congo.”
Mr. Ghebreyesus emphasized that halting the spread will necessitate an all-encompassing approach that prioritizes communities.
In order to enhance surveillance, preparation, and response efforts, WHO has also created a $15 million regional response plan. In order to help the response’s scaling up, an emergency fund has also released $1 million, with more to come.
Two mpox vaccines have currently been licensed by national regulatory bodies recognized by the WHO, and its expert panel on immunizations, SAGE, has also recommended them.
