The World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years.
The move follows an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that has spread to neighboring countries.
"It's clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a news conference in Geneva on Wednesday.
More than 17,000 suspected mpox cases and 517 deaths have been reported on the African continent so far this year, a 160% increase in cases compared to the same period last year, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said. A total of 13 countries have reported cases.
A different form of the mpox virus—clade IIb—spread globally in 2022, largely through sexual contact between men. This prompted the WHO to declare a public health emergency then, which ended 10 months later.
Determining a disease outbreak as a "public health emergency of international concern" or PHEIC—the WHO's highest level of alert—can accelerate research, funding, and international public health measures and cooperation to contain a disease.
"It's clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a news conference in Geneva on Wednesday.
The outbreak in the Congo began with the spread of an endemic strain, known as clade I. But a new variant, clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual contact. It has spread from the Congo to neighboring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, triggering the action from the WHO.🚨WHO Director-General @DrTedros has determined that the upsurge of #mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (#DRC) & a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations… https://t.co/xIq0LwWfjW
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) August 14, 2024
More than 17,000 suspected mpox cases and 517 deaths have been reported on the African continent so far this year, a 160% increase in cases compared to the same period last year, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said. A total of 13 countries have reported cases.
A different form of the mpox virus—clade IIb—spread globally in 2022, largely through sexual contact between men. This prompted the WHO to declare a public health emergency then, which ended 10 months later.
Determining a disease outbreak as a "public health emergency of international concern" or PHEIC—the WHO's highest level of alert—can accelerate research, funding, and international public health measures and cooperation to contain a disease.
Source: Reuters
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