In news with great consequences, the World Health Organization declared the current outbreak of mpox (monkeypox) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has spread to other nearby countries, as a public health emergency of international scope.
This is the second time in two years that this infectious disease has been considered to be a potential international health threat, an alert that was initially raised in May of last year after its spread was contained and the situation was considered to be under control. In that outbreak, cases reached Europe and North America.
What is Happening With Monkeypox?
The WHO pointed out that this time the outbreaks are not the result of the circulation of the same variant of the virus, but of more than one, and that different levels of risk and contagion have also been observed, while two years ago transmission was almost exclusively sexual.
The emergence of a new clade of #mpox, its rapid spread in eastern #DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying.
On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international… pic.twitter.com/u2DSV6fitj
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) August 14, 2024
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the statement after receiving the recommendation of the organization’s Emergency Committee. The committee is made up of a group of independent scientists from different parts of the world who are charged with analyzing whether an epidemic outbreak can affect global public health.
In a press conference, Tedros explained that in addition to the severity of the outbreak in the DRC, it is very worrying that the monkeypox has spread to countries where cases had never been seen before, such as Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya.
“This is something that should concern us all … The potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying,” said WHO director-general.
All members of the Emergency Committee agreed that the new outbreak of monkeypox constitutes “an extraordinary event,” among other things because of the speed with which cases have increased in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where such a high number of infected people had not been seen since the 1970s.
The WHO has received notification of 14,000 cases and 524 deaths this year, although the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has indicated that the cases rise to 17,000. There is also concern that more and more cases are being observed among children and the high mortality in this age group, a change from the 2022 outbreak that predominantly affected adult men.
“The worst case I’ve seen is that of a six-week-old baby who was just two weeks old when he contracted mpox, he got infected because hospital overcrowding meant he and his mother were forced to share a room with someone else who had the virus, which was undiagnosed,” said Jacques Alonda, an epidemiologist working in Congo.
#BREAKING
.Mpox Outbreak: 5 Key Facts.1. Global Impact: #Mpox cases reported in over 70 countries worldwide.
2. Transmission: Mpox spreads through close contact, including skin-to-skin touch, respiratory droplets, and contaminated surfaces.
3. Symptoms: Common symptoms… pic.twitter.com/mfMSsbrdMl
— Weather monitor (@Weathermonitors) August 14, 2024
The Emergency Committee also considered the risk of the monkeypox jumping again from other regions, which is why action is required not only in Africa, but also in the rest of the world. Committee members are preparing a series of specific recommendations on those actions, which they will present to Tedros before the end of the week.
Monkeypox: It all started in Africa
Health authorities in Africa had already officially declared a continental emergency due to monkeypox and announced that a response plan will be presented in the coming weeks to face one of the great threats of the decade.
The Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Jean Kaseya, urged member states of the African Union, the parent body of the Africa CDC, to fast-track emergency authorization for MPOX, which will play a critical role in safeguarding public health and ensuring rapid access to life-saving interventions.
What is Mpox?
Monkeypox, also known as mpox, is a disease caused by a virus belonging to the Poxviridae family, which also includes the human smallpox virus. The disease was first discovered in laboratory monkeys in 1958, hence its name (monkeypox), although the virus also affects other animals and can be transmitted to humans.
Initial symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes. The rash typically appears one to three days after the onset of fever. The rash usually begins on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body. The lesions evolve through several stages before crusting over and falling off.
The disease is transmitted from animals to humans through bites or scratches from infected animals, contact with bodily fluids, or through consumption of meat from infected animals. It can also be spread from person to person through close contact, including contact with injuries, bodily fluids, or even through respiratory droplets.
Monkeypox is generally less severe than human smallpox, but it can be serious, especially in people with weakened immune systems or in young children. There is no specific approved treatment for monkeypox, but antivirals and vaccines can be used to prevent and treat the disease.
This article was originally written in Spanish by Miguel Fernandez in Cultura Coletiva News.
