WHO Issues Global Emergency Amid Mpox Outbreak In Africa

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a global emergency due to an increasing outbreak of mpox cases in Africa, a disease caused by the monkeypox virus.

WHO declared the public health emergency on Aug. 14, following an Aug. 13 announcement from the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) which reported a legion of mpox outbreaks across around 12 countries in Africa, including nations like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, areas experiencing the outbreak for the first time.

“This is not just another challenge; it’s a crisis that demands our collective action,” said Africa CDC’s Director General, Dr. Jean Kaseya, in a release.

Africa has confirmed 2,863 cases and 517 deaths this year, with occurrences prevalent in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Children under 15 years old account for 70% of cases reported in Congo and 85% of deaths.

Speculations of the mpox disease have reached beyond 17,000 cases, indicating a massive increase compared to the 7,146 cases reported during the 2022 outbreak across the continent’s western countries and the 14,957 cases in 2023.

“It’s clear that we’re facing a different scenario with far more cases, resulting in a higher burden of illness,” Professor Salim Abdool Karim, head of CAPRISA, said. “Our concern is that we may be seeing more fatalities in Africa due to the association with HIV.”

According to the Africa CDC, the mpox disease stems from the monkeypox virus, which BLACK ENTERPRISE noted in 2022 was renamed to avoid discrimination. The virus produces symptoms such as skin rashes, mucosal lesions, fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pains, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. The announcement warns that mpox can be transmitted through physical contact with people, materials, or animals infected with the virus. In 2022, Dr. Leslie Matthews, a surgeon and Vitamin D expert, told BE people should avoid kissing, hugging, or direct contact with anyone with a suspected rash. However, the Associated Press reported that the new form of the disease is more difficult to spot due to its mild symptoms and development in areas like the genitals.

“This is something that should concern us all,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying.”

Vaccines and treatments used to control the 2022 outbreak are scarce in Africa, and Congo has yet to receive any vaccines to treat the disease, even following a request from authorities for 4 million doses. “We need a large supply of vaccine so that we can vaccinate populations most at risk,” said Professor Michael Marks from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Forbes reported that few treatments have been extensively tested and approved. In 2022, Tpoxx, a drug that treats smallpox, a related disease, was made available to treat mpox under emergency protocols.

Mpox experts are examining the root of the outbreak throughout the continent. Dr. Dimie Ogoina, a chair of WHO’s emergency committee suggests more effective surveillance to track cases.