WHO advises on the spread of infectious Mpox virus in Africa
In light of the spread of a new, more contagious variant of the Mpox virus in several African countries, the Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) is set to discuss on Wednesday whether to declare the highest level of alarm. A "public health emergency of international concern" can only be declared by the WHO Director-General and involves legally binding steps to contain the relevant disease.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been the hardest hit by the latest outbreak of the Mpox disease. As of early August, there have been over 14,000 confirmed and suspected cases and 455 deaths. The disease has also spread to Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. The health agency of the African Union (Africa CDC) declared a "continental health emergency" on Tuesday. The WHO had already declared a public health emergency of international concern over Mpox - previously known as monkeypox - in May 2022, which ended in May 2023.
The WHO is considering declaring the highest level of alert level due to the escalating Mpox situation in several countries. If declared, it would involve legally binding measures to contain the virus.
