The World Health Organization (WHO) has once again declared mpox, a viral infection transmitted through close contact, as a global health emergency for the second time in two years.
Understanding a Global Health Emergency
A “public health emergency of international concern” (PHEIC) is the WHO’s highest level of alert, signifying the urgent need for international cooperation and resources to address an outbreak that is spreading in new or unexpected ways. This declaration follows a similar warning from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this week.
Why is Mpox a Global Concern Again?
Two years ago, the WHO first declared mpox as an emergency when the disease began spreading rapidly worldwide, primarily among men who have sex with men. That outbreak was eventually contained through behavior changes, safe sex practices, and vaccines that protected at-risk individuals in many countries.
However, mpox has been a longstanding public health issue in parts of Africa, with the first human case reported in Congo in 1970. The current outbreak in Congo is the worst ever recorded, with over 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths since January 2023, predominantly affecting children. Mpox causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions; while usually mild, it can be fatal, particularly for children, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems, such as individuals with HIV.
Two strains of mpox are now circulating in Congo: the endemic virus and a new variant that has sparked global concern due to its rapid spread and limited understanding. This new strain is spreading through sexual contact and other forms of close contact, such as among children in displacement camps, and has now reached neighboring countries including Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, and Kenya.
What’s Next?
Health experts hope the emergency declarations will expedite the delivery of medical resources and funding to Congo to help control the outbreak. Improved surveillance is critical to studying the virus and preventing its spread.
However, a previous WHO appeal in 2022 for $34 million to combat mpox received no donor support, highlighting significant inequities in vaccine access. African countries have not yet received doses of the two vaccines used during the global outbreak, produced by Bavarian Nordic and KM Biologics. WHO recently renewed its call for vaccine donations from countries with stockpiles, and Africa CDC has announced plans to secure doses, although supplies remain limited.
How Concerned Should You Be?
Mpox is a serious health threat, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children, but it is not on the same scale as COVID-19. Currently, there is no evidence that mpox spreads as easily through the air as COVID-19, and there are effective tools available to stop its spread and protect those at risk.
The main challenge now, emphasized by the emergency declarations, is ensuring that these tools reach those most in need in Congo and neighboring regions.