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The World Health Organization has declared mpox a world public health emergency for the second time in two years, following the spread of an outbreak within the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighboring countries.
Latest cases of the virus have since been been identified outside of the continent, in countries including Thailand, Philippines, Sweden and Pakistan.
Health officials are raising concerns because lots of the recent cases in Africa have been identified as a recent and deadlier strain, often called clade 1b. The brand new strain has also been confirmed outside of the continent, in Thailand.
CNBC breaks down what we all know to date.
What’s mpox?
Mpox is a viral infection that spreads through close contact, including sexual contact. It causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills and muscle aches, in addition to lesions stuffed with pus. While normally mild, it will possibly be fatal.
There are broadly two forms of of mpox, often called clades, with the most recent outbreak identified as clade 1. The present strain appears to spread more easily and has a better fatality rate compared with the 2022 strain often called clade 2.
It also appears to disproportionately affect young people, with most deaths occurring amongst children.
Why are cases rising?
A recent offshoot of clade 1, often called clade 1b, is alleged to be answerable for the recent uptick in cases, according to the WHO.
The WHO said that clade 1b is spreading individual to individual, often through sexual contact. While first identified in 2024, it is believed to have emerged within the DRC around 2023.
“The outbreak related to clade Ib within the DRC primarily affects adults and is spreading rapidly, sustained largely, but not exclusively, through transmission linked to sexual contact and amplified in networks related to business sex and sex staff,” the health organization said in a press release on Aug. 19.
Where are the cases?
Alongside the DRC, cases of clade 1b have been identified in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Thailand.
Cases of clade 1 have been reported within the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo and Sweden.
Cases linked to the milder clade 2 have been reported in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, the Philippines and Pakistan.
What does the WHO declaration mean?
The “public health emergency of international concern” status is the WHO’s highest designation and goals to speed up international public health measures and cooperation to contain a disease.
“It’s clear that a coordinated international response is crucial to stop these outbreaks and save lives,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus when the declaration was made on Aug. 14.
“The detection and rapid spread of a recent clade of mpox in eastern DRC, its detection in neighbouring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further spread inside Africa and beyond could be very worrying,” he added.
Nonetheless, Dr. Hans Kluge, the WHO’s regional director for Europe, stressed last week that Mpox is “not the brand new Covid.”
In a press release published Tuesday, Kluge rejected comparisons between mpox and the coronavirus pandemic and said the danger to the final population is low.
“We are able to, and must, tackle mpox together — across regions and continents,” Kluge said.
What are authorities doing?
There are vaccines to treat the virus, though access is a problem. The WHO is now working with countries and vaccine manufacturers to extend access for affected countries.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has struck a partnership with vaccine maker Bavarian Nordic, which it said would help deliver 2 million doses this 12 months along with existing, and 10 million by the tip of 2025.
Bavarian Nordic said it is usually supplying vaccines to countries outside of Africa, and that it’s in search of approval from the European Union’s drug regulator to increase using its mpox vaccine for teenagers.
