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The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on Monday that it will convene its Emergency Committee next week to assess whether mpox, previously declared a global health emergency, remains a crisis. This meeting will follow ongoing concerns over the disease’s spread, particularly in Africa, where a new variant, clade Ib, has led to a surge in cases.
In August, the WHO classified mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the highest alert level, after the virus began to spread more widely in parts of Africa. The most recent WHO report reveals that as of November 3, there have been 46,794 confirmed and suspected cases of mpox across Africa in 2023, with 1,081 reported deaths. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Uganda are the most affected countries, with the DRC bearing the brunt of the outbreak.
Mpox is typically transmitted through close contact and presents with flu-like symptoms and characteristic pus-filled lesions on the body. While the disease is usually mild, it can be fatal in rare instances.
The WHO’s announcement also comes shortly after the organisation began distributing initial doses of the mpox vaccine to the nine African countries hardest hit by the outbreak. This vaccine allocation aims to mitigate further spread and protect vulnerable populations.
As the Emergency Committee meets next week, its decision will be closely watched, as it could signal a shift in the global health community’s approach to the disease. The outcome will depend on ongoing assessments of mpox transmission patterns and the effectiveness of containment measures in the affected regions.
Melissa Enoch
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