The World Health Organization has declared the mpox outbreaks in Congo and other African nations a global emergency.
Cases have been confirmed in over a dozen countries among both children and adults, with a new variant of the virus emerging. Vaccine availability on the continent is limited.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had already classified the situation as a public health emergency earlier this week, citing over 500 deaths and calling for international assistance to curb the virus’s spread.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern about the potential for further spread beyond Africa.
According to the Africa CDC, mpox, also known as monkeypox, has been reported in 13 countries this year, with more than 96% of cases and deaths occurring in Congo. Compared to the same period last year, cases have increased by 160% and deaths by 19%.
There have been over 14,000 reported cases and 524 deaths so far.
Dimi Organa, chair of the mpox emergency committee, noted that new cases have emerged in countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Kenya, where the disease had not previously been reported.
During the 2022 global mpox outbreak, which affected over 70 countries, the mortality rate was less than 1%.
