WHO to consider declaring 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern' due to the outbreak of mpox in Africa

The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, assured that the agency is analyzing the growing outbreak of the monkeypox virus (mpox) in Africa and is studying ways of tackling the problem on the continent as soon as possible so that it does not spread globally.

At a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, Ghebreyesus reported that mpox is one of the major threats Africa is currently facing, spreading mainly in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, with more than 14,000 cases and 511 deaths since 2024 began.

Most of the positive cases have been in children under 15, as reported by the WHO.

The alerts have intensified after cases began to be reported in countries neighboring the Democratic Republic of Congo, such as Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where no mpox-positive cases had previously been reported.

In his appearance, Ghebreyesus noted that the WHO Emergency Committee is already assessing whether the mpox outbreak in Africa constitutes a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern." In addition, the director general announced that the corresponding processes are being expedited "to accelerate vaccine access in the affected countries."

Symptoms and contagion of mpox

According to the WHO, mpox is "a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus" and has two distinct clades: I and II. 

The main symptoms of mpox are skin lesions, such as eczema or pimples, accompanied by headache, muscle and back discomfort, fever, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes.

It is spread through physical contact between humans, as long as one of them is infected. It can also be contracted by touching any animal or material that is contaminated with mpox. The last global outbreak dates back to 2022. The WHO recommends vaccination to prevent infection.