The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), marking the second such declaration for mpox in the past two years.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement on Wednesday, citing the surge of mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the increasing spread across various African nations. This decision aligns with the International Health Regulations (2005).
Dr. Tedros explained that the declaration followed the recommendation of an IHR Emergency Committee composed of independent experts. The committee warned that the disease could potentially spread further within Africa and beyond.
“The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid proliferation in eastern DRC, and reports of cases in neighboring countries are deeply concerning,” Dr. Tedros stated. “Combined with ongoing outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other African nations, it is evident that a coordinated international response is crucial to halt these outbreaks and save lives.”
This declaration follows closely on the heels of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announcing mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, highlighted ongoing collaborative efforts with communities and governments, emphasizing the need for international coordination to control the virus’s spread. “Given the growing spread of the virus, we are intensifying our efforts through coordinated international action to support countries in ending these outbreaks,” she said.
Professor Dimie Ogoina, Chair of the Emergency Committee, stressed the global implications of the outbreak: “The current surge of mpox in parts of Africa, alongside the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the monkeypox virus, is an emergency not just for Africa but for the entire world. Mpox was neglected in Africa, leading to a global outbreak in 2022. We must act decisively to prevent a recurrence.”
About Mpox
Mpox, caused by an Orthopoxvirus, was first identified in humans in 1970 in the DRC. It is endemic to several central and west African countries. In July 2022, a multi-country mpox outbreak was declared a PHEIC due to its rapid spread through sexual contact in countries where the virus had not previously been detected. That declaration was lifted in May 2023 after a sustained decline in global cases.
However, mpox has persisted in the DRC for over a decade, with annual case numbers steadily rising. In 2023, cases surged significantly, and the number of cases reported in 2024 has already surpassed last year’s total, with more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths.
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