The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the increasing spread of mpox in Africa a global health emergency, warning that the virus might ultimately spill across international borders. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared mpox a public health emergency on the continent on Tuesday. Over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported in Africa this year, exceeding last year’s figures. More than 96% of all cases and deaths are in a single country — Congo, where scientists are concerned by the spread of a new version of the disease that might be more easily transmitted among people.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, was first identified in 1958 when there were outbreaks of a “pox-like” disease in monkeys. In 2022, the virus was confirmed to spread via sex for the first time and triggered outbreaks in more than 70 countries across the world that had not previously reported mpox. The new form of mpox seen in Congo could cross borders, with cases having already been detected in four other East African countries.
The current outbreak in Africa compared to the 2022 epidemic is different, as children under 15 now account for more than 70% of the mpox cases and 85% of deaths in Congo. The WHO’s emergency declaration is meant to spur donor agencies and countries into action, but the global response to previous declarations has been mixed. Immunization would likely help, including inoculating people against smallpox, a related virus.