WHO Declares Mpox a Global Public Health Emergency

The World Health Organisation on Wednesday declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak of the virus in parts of Africa.

This announcement comes as health officials also warn of a sharp rise in cases in Toronto.

On Tuesday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the mpox outbreaks constitute a public health emergency, with more than 500 deaths reported so far this year, and called for international assistance to halt the virus’s spread.

“Today, the emergency committee met and advised me that, in its view, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a Wednesday media conference. “This is something that should concern us all.”

Declaring a disease outbreak as a “public health emergency of international concern” — the WHO’s highest level of alert — can expedite research, funding, and international public health measures and cooperation to contain a disease.

Initially identified in monkeys in 1958, mpox, previously known as monkeypox, was primarily confined to central and western Africa, transmitted through close contact with infected animals. However, a significant shift occurred in 2022 when the virus spread rapidly among people worldwide, including in Europe, North America, and beyond.

Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox and causes similar, though generally milder, symptoms.

While not strictly classified as a sexually transmitted infection, mpox spreads through contact with bodily fluids, scabs, and contaminated personal items such as clothing, bedding, sex toys, or toothbrushes, according to Toronto Public Health.

About this mpox outbreak

Mpox is characterised by two distinct genetic groups, known as clades: I and II. These clades have evolved separately over time and exhibit different genetic and clinical features.

The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) initially involved the spread of Clade I. However, a new variant, Clade Ib, seems to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual contact. This variant has spread from Congo to neighbouring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, prompting action from the WHO.

Unlike previous mpox outbreaks, where lesions were predominantly observed on the chest, hands, and feet, the new form causes milder symptoms and lesions on the genitals. This makes it more difficult to detect, meaning that individuals may unknowingly infect others, according to health officials.

The Africa CDC previously reported that mpox has been detected in 13 countries this year, with over 96 per cent of all cases and deaths occurring in Congo. Cases have increased by 160 per cent, and deaths are up by 19 per cent compared with the same period last year. To date, there have been more than 14,000 reported cases.