Yesterday, the director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the growing rates of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other African countries “constitutes a public health emergency of international concern” (PHEIC).
This is the WHO’s highest level of alert and can speed up research, funding, and global cooperation. A PHEIC is not a pandemic; it’s more of an international call to arms to prevent one.
The announcement comes as a new strain of the disease has started to spread which seems to be more easily transmissible than the previous mutation.
“The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying,” Dr. Ghebreyesus said.
“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.”
The WHO had previously announced a PHEIC warning for mpox in 2022 which has since ended.
That was for strain IIb; this is strain Ib, from clade 1, which is typically more deadly (up to one in ten can die from it).
Where has it spread so far?
The new variant, clade Ib, has spread from the DRC to Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda for the first time.
Over 100 cases have been confirmed in countries outside of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Its detection in countries neighbouring the DRC is especially concerning, and one of the main reasons for the declaration of the PHEIC,” the WHO says.
This year’s total reported cases is already higher than the total of last year’s, with 15,600 cases and 537 deaths so far.
There are currently two WHO-approved vaccines to treat mpox.
The WHO’s director-general has released an Emergency Use Listing “which will accelerate vaccine access for lower-income countries which have not yet issued their own national regulatory approval.”
Should I be worried?
The new variant (Ib) hasn’t been spotted in Europe, the UK, or anywhere outside of Africa yet.
The PHEIC is designed to keep it that way.
WHO Committee Chair Professor Dimie Ogoina said: “The current upsurge of mpox in parts of Africa, along with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the mpox 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.”
The NHS says mpox is transmitted through touching blisters and scabs, having sexual contact, touching the bedding, clothes, or towels, of an infected person. Someone with mpox can also spread it through coughing and sneezing.
The strain of mpox that triggered the PHEIC is more transmissible than the previous one, however.
What are the symptoms?
If you’re infected with mpox, symptoms usually appear within five to 21 days and typically improve on their own in two to four weeks.
Common symptoms include a blistering rash, which often starts one to five days after other symptoms, and can spread from the face or genital area to other parts of the body.
Other symptoms may include proctitis (inflammation of the rectum), fever, headache, flu-like symptoms, and swollen glands.
The mpox rash progresses through four stages: flat spots, raised spots, blisters, and healing by scabbing or crusting over.
Because the rash can resemble other conditions like chickenpox, it’s crucial to seek medical assessment and testing for an accurate diagnosis.
If you notice symptoms, consult a healthcare professional for appropriate testing and care to confirm if you have mpox.