WHO Declares Mpox Outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern

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In a move that underscores the severity of the mpox outbreak, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the situation a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the highest level of global health alert under international law.

This declaration comes amid growing concerns over the spread of a deadlier strain of the mpox virus, known as clade Ib, which has recently been detected in four previously unaffected provinces in Africa.

The announcement was made by WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, following a virtual meeting of the organisation’s emergency committee on Wednesday. The PHEIC status is reserved for “extraordinary events” that pose a significant public health risk through the international spread of disease, potentially necessitating a coordinated global response.

The mpox outbreak has already affected 13 African countries, with over 17,000 cases and more than 500 deaths reported as of this year, according to Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) data. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been the hardest hit, accounting for over 14,000 cases and 96% of the confirmed infections reported this month alone.

The declaration of a PHEIC is a call to action for the international community to step up efforts in financing and organizing the response to this rapidly escalating outbreak. WHO has approved the Emergency Use Listing for mpox vaccines and developed a regional response plan requiring $15 million in funding, of which $1.45 million has already been allocated.

The mpox virus is categorized into two genetic clades, I and II, with clade Ib now being recognized for its increased transmissibility and severity. WHO officials have emphasized that the virus could be contained “quite straightforwardly, if we do the right things at the right time.”

This declaration comes on the heels of the Africa CDC’s declaration of the outbreak as a public health emergency of continental security on Tuesday, the first such declaration in the agency’s history since its establishment in 2017.

The international community is now urged to take immediate action to support the response efforts, including providing funding, resources, and expertise to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread.

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