The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) has declared a global health emergency due to the rapid spread of mpox in African countries, with the epidemic concentrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C.) but now appearing in 13 other African nations. This is the second global emergency for mpox in three years, the first being in July 2022, which affected nearly 100,000 people in 116 countries.
The current outbreak is more severe, with D.R.C. reporting 15,600 cases and 537 deaths this year alone, primarily affecting women and children under 15. The virus has rapidly spread, even to countries that had never previously reported mpox cases. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also declared a “public health emergency of continental security.”
W.H.O. Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the urgency of containing the spread within Africa and beyond. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised clinicians and the public to be vigilant.
W.H.O.’s emergency designation is intended to prompt member countries to prepare for the virus and share key resources like vaccines and treatments with poorer nations. The version of mpox circulating in Congo is more virulent, with a death rate of about 3%, compared to 0.2% in the 2022 outbreak. It spreads through contaminated meat, close contact with infected individuals, and recently, through sexual transmission.
The outbreak has led to over 17,500 presumed and confirmed cases, mostly in Congo. In response, Congo has approved two vaccines: LC16 and Jynneos. However, vaccine availability is insufficient, with only 15,000 doses of Jynneos donated, a small fraction of the 10 million needed to control the outbreak.
The situation is critical, and international efforts are now focused on preventing further spread. New vaccine developments are underway, including a potential mRNA vaccine by BioNTech, which may protect against mpox and related viruses like smallpox.
