Mpox outbreak hits crisis point: WHO declares global emergency as new strain spreads

This variant may be more easily transmitted through routine contact, including sexual activity, and presents itself with less obvious symptoms, making detection more difficult.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), on August 14, sounded the alarm once again, declaring mpox a global public health emergency. This decision follows a troubling resurgence of the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with cases now spreading to neighbouring countries.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, spreads through close contact and, though often mild, can be fatal in rare cases. Symptoms include flu-like aches and distinctive pus-filled lesions. The WHO’s highest level of alert, known as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), is intended to boost international research, funding, and cooperative measures to contain the disease.

The current outbreak, driven by a new and more transmissible variant, clade Ib, has escalated concerns. This variant is spreading more rapidly than the endemic clade I, affecting not just Congo but also Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the emergency after a crucial meeting of the UN health agency’s emergency committee. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had already declared a regional emergency earlier this week.

This year, Africa has recorded over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths from mpox, exceeding last year's totals. The number of cases has surged by 160% and deaths have increased by 19% compared to the previous year. Remarkably, 96% of these cases and fatalities are concentrated in Congo, where a new, potentially more dangerous variant of the virus has emerged. This variant appears to spread more easily through everyday contact, including sexual activity, and manifests with less obvious symptoms, complicating detection and containment efforts.

Mpox was first identified in 1958 through outbreaks in monkeys, but it wasn’t until 2022 that the virus began spreading through sexual contact, sparking global outbreaks in over 70 countries. While traditionally associated with mild symptoms like fever and body aches, severe cases can cause lesions on the face, hands, and genitals.

The new variant, detected in a Congolese mining town, poses a grave risk as it can kill up to 10% of those infected and spreads more easily. Unlike earlier outbreaks where lesions appeared primarily on the chest and limbs, this variant causes genital lesions, complicating early detection and containment efforts.

In response, the WHO’s declaration aims to galvanize global action and funding. However, the international response to such emergencies has been uneven in the past. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa CDC, emphasized the need for urgent support from global partners to address the escalating crisis.

Previous outbreaks in wealthy countries were managed with vaccines and public health measures, but Africa faces a critical shortage of vaccines and treatments. As the world watches, the focus shifts to mobilizing resources and tackling the mpox crisis head-on to prevent further spread and save lives.

(With inputs from Reuters and AP)