WHO declares Mpox a global health emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared Mpox as a global health emergency.

This followed the surge of Mpox (formerly monkeypox) in Africa.

The virus has swept through the Democratic Republic of Congo, where 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported this year.

The WHO called a meeting of experts to study the outbreak and make a recommendation to its director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Tedros, who addressed a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, said: “Today, the emergency committee met and advised me that in its view, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice.

READ ALSO: WHO renames Monkeypox as Mpox because of racism stigma

“This is something that should concern us all.

“WHO is committed in the days and weeks ahead to coordinate the global response, working closely with each of the affected countries, and leveraging our on-the-ground presence, to prevent transmission, treat those infected, and save lives.

“The emergence last year and rapid spread of clade 1b in DRC, which appears to be spreading mainly through sexual networks, and its detection in countries neighbouring DRC is especially concerning, and one of the main reasons for my decision to convene this emergency committee,” he said in opening the emergency committee meeting.

“In the past month, about 90 cases of clade 1b have been reported in four countries neighbouring the DRC that have not reported mpox before Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.”

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