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WHO Declares Mpox Global Emergency

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

GENEVA/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) warned the world Wednesday of mpox, formally known as monkeypox, declaring the potentially fatal viral infection a “global public health emergency”, after an outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) crossed into nearby nations.

Mpox, which reportedly killed hundreds in the DRC, can spread through close contact.
Experts say it is usually mild but fatal in rare cases. It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body.

The WHO warning followed an emergency committee earlier on Wednesday to advise WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on whether the disease outbreak constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern” or PHEIC.

It is the second time in two years that a PHEIC has been issued in a world still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The WHO previously declared a PHEIC in July 2022. That outbreak went on to affect nearly 100,000 people, primarily gay and bisexual men, in 116 countries and killed about 200 people.

The threat this time is deadlier. Since the beginning of this year, as the DRC alone has reported more than 14,000 mpox cases and 524 deaths. Those most at risk also include women and children under 15, as well as gay and bisexual men.

“The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of mpox in eastern DRC its detection in neighboring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s director general.

ENDEMIC STRAIN

The outbreak in DRC began with the spread of an endemic strain known as clade I. But a new variant, clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual contact, according to experts familiar with the situation.

Tedros stressed that it has spread from DRC to neighboring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, triggering the WHO’s action.

“The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of mpox in eastern DRC, its detection in neighboring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying,” Tedros added.

Tedros said on Wednesday that WHO had released $1.5 million in contingency funds and plans to release more in the coming days.

The response plan would require an initial $15 million, and the WHO announced that the agency plans to appeal to donors for funding.

It was not immediately clear on what exactly that money would be spent.

“Currently there is no treatment approved specifically for mpox virus infections,” said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. national public health agency.

“For most patients with mpox who have intact immune systems and don’t have a skin disease, supportive care and pain control will help them recover without medical treatment,” added the CDC in a June assessment seen by Worthy News.