On Wednesday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the chief of the World Health Organization, summoned an “emergency” meeting of international experts as cases of the most dangerous Mpox virus variant surge in African countries.
Reports suggest that this variant is highly infectious, allowing it to spread rapidly among individuals, prompting serious concern from WHO experts.
Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said an expert will determine whether the outbreak should be considered a global emergency.
Tedros stated that WHO has disbursed $1 million from its emergency fund to assist in addressing the mpox outbrek.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that mpox, or monkeypox, has been identified in 10 African nations this year, with DR Congo accounting for over 96% of all cases and fatalities.
According to the Africa CDC, nearly 70% of the cases in Congo are among children aged 15 and younger, and these children make up 85% of the deaths.
Mpox cases were reported for the first time last week in Burundi and Rwanda, with additional cases also identified in Kenya and the Central African Republic.
Scientists reported earlier this year the rise of a new, more deadly variant of mpox in a mining town in Congo, which can be fatal for as many as 10% of those infected.
There are fears that this variant may spread more easily among people.
Mpox is transmitted through close contact with those who are infected, including during sexual encounters.
In 2022, the World Health Organization announced mpox as a global emergency due to its spread to over 70 countries, primarily impacting gay and bisexual men.
The spread of mpox has been largely controlled in Western countries thanks to vaccines and treatments, but these options remain scarce in Africa.
Maria Van Kerkhove, who oversees the WHO’s outbreak department, pointed out various troubling aspects of the mpox crisis in Africa and called for a swift response.
“We must not allow the world to simply observe and delay,” she emphasized. “Now is the time to act.”
