WHO declares global public health emergency for mpox

Last week, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, the Director General for the World Health Organization, issued a statement on X, announcing his plans to convene an emergency committee under the International Health Regulations to determine whether the mpox outbreaks warrant declaring a public health emergency. On August 14, 2024, Ghebreyesus concluded and announced that the growing number of mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its invasion into surrounding African countries warrant a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).  

"The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighboring 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 response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives,” he said in the WHO press release. 

According to the WHO press release, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee, comprised of independent experts, met to inform Ghebreyesus that the increasing number of mpox cases and the potential for international spread warranted a PHEIC. 

In a recent update through the Health Network Advisory, the CDC revealed that while clade 1 mpox — the strain implicated in ongoing outbreaks — is endemic to the DRC, cases have been detected in the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi.  

Additionally, the organization revealed that the median annual number of clade 1 mpox cases from 2016 to 2019 was 3,767 cases; however, since January 1, 2023, there have been over 22,000 suspected cases, accounting for over 1,200 deaths.  

“Significant efforts are already underway in close collaboration with communities and governments, with our country teams working on the frontlines to help reinforce measures to curb mpox. With the growing spread of the virus, we’re scaling up further through coordinated international action to support countries bring the outbreaks to an end,” said Matshidiso Moeti, MB, BS, MSc, WHO Regional Director for Africa, in the WHO release.  

Despite the rising number of mpox cases, there are strategies to prevent disease spread. First, practicing safe sex can help mitigate the spread of the virus. Additionally, there are two available vaccines for mpox, which are recommended by the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization.  

Ghebreyesus has begun the process of listing mpox vaccines for emergency use to provide timely access to lower-income countries, enable vaccine procurement, and facilitate with manufacturers.