Mpox Declared Global Health Emergency Again
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the declaration of mpox as a global health emergency for the second time in just three years. This decision comes in response to the alarming spread of the virus across more than a dozen countries in Africa. The outbreak is particularly severe in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the WHO reports that there have been approximately 15,600 confirmed cases of mpox and 537 associated deaths. This current epidemic in the DRC has already proven to be more lethal than the previous outbreak in 2022, which also warranted an emergency declaration.
Understanding Mpox
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral disease endemic to Central and Western Africa. The illness bears similarities to smallpox but is characterized by a lower contagion rate. The primary modes of transmission include:
- Close contact with infected animals or humans.
- Consumption of contaminated meat from infected animals.
- Sexual contact with infected individuals.
- Possible transmission from an infected mother to her fetus.
Current Impact and Affected Regions
As of June, a staggering 96% of the reported mpox deaths occurred in the DRC, a nation already grappling with significant internal conflict and a humanitarian crisis. However, the virus has now been identified in 13 countries, marking its first appearance in East African nations such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
Dr. Sylvie Jonckheere, an adviser on emerging infectious diseases for Doctors Without Borders, notes that while there are variances in the outbreaks across different regions and nations—largely influenced by local circumstances—there is a troubling commonality: “We do not know how to control this outbreak.”
