WHO Declares Mpox a Global Public Health Emergency Amid Rising Cases in Africa

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This declaration comes as cases surge in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and spread to neighboring countries in Africa.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, made the announcement today, emphasizing the urgent need for a coordinated international response.

"The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighboring countries are very worrying," Dr. Tedros stated. "On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives."

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has been endemic to central and west Africa since it was first detected in humans in 1970.

However, the recent upsurge, particularly the new strain clade 1b, which appears to be spreading mainly through sexual networks, has raised alarms. In the past month alone, over 100 laboratory-confirmed cases of this new strain have been reported in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda—countries that had not previously reported mpox.

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, highlighted the efforts being made on the ground. “Significant efforts are already underway in close collaboration with communities and governments, with our country teams working on the frontlines to help reinforce measures to curb mpox. With the growing spread of the virus, we’re scaling up further through coordinated international action to support countries bring the outbreaks to an end.”

The situation is dire, with more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths reported so far this year in the DRC alone. The WHO has also noted that the true number of cases is likely higher due to underreporting and lack of testing.

To combat the outbreak, WHO has recommended two vaccines currently in use for mpox, which are approved by national regulatory authorities in Nigeria and the DRC.

Last week, the Director-General triggered the process for Emergency Use Listing for mpox vaccines, aiming to accelerate vaccine access for lower-income countries. This move will enable partners like Gavi and UNICEF to procure and distribute vaccines more efficiently.

The WHO anticipates an immediate funding requirement of US$ 15 million to support surveillance, preparedness, and response activities. An initial US$ 1.45 million has already been released from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies, with more funds expected to be released in the coming days.

Professor Dimie Ogoina, Chair of the IHR Emergency Committee, stressed the global implications of the outbreak. “The current upsurge of mpox in parts of Africa, along with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the monkeypox virus, is an emergency, not only for Africa, but for the entire globe. Mpox, originating in Africa, was neglected there and later caused a global outbreak in 2022. It is time to act decisively to prevent history from repeating itself."