WHO Declares Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has declared that the rising number of mpox cases constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), following advice from members at Wednesday’s International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee meeting.

A PHEIC is the highest level of alarm under international health law.

Dr. Tedros called the meeting last Wednesday to seek guidance on whether the mpox outbreaks—formerly known as monkeypox—merit international concern. On Tuesday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) also declared the situation a public health emergency.

“The Emergency Committee’s advice to me aligns with that of the Africa CDC, which declared a public health emergency of regional security yesterday,” Tedros said in a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Clades and Cases

Mpox cases have been spreading across many countries in Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as well as in neighboring Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. The potential for further spread in Africa is concerning, according to the WHO chief.

“In addition to outbreaks of other clades of mpox in various parts of Africa, it is evident that a coordinated international response is essential to halt these outbreaks and save lives,” Tedros stated.

This year has already seen over 14,000 reported cases of mpox and 524 deaths, marking a significant increase from 2023.

Tedros previously noted that the mpox outbreaks are caused by different clades of the virus. At Wednesday’s meeting, he indicated that transmission of the so-called clade 1b virus occurred in the DRC last year, primarily through sexual networks. This clade is reportedly more lethal and more easily transmitted from person to person.

Clade 1 has been circulating in the DRC for years, while clade 2 was responsible for the global outbreak of 2022, which was declared an international public health emergency.

Tedros mentioned that in the past month, around 90 cases of clade 1b were reported in neighboring countries that had not previously reported mpox cases.

“Stopping these outbreaks will require a tailored and comprehensive response, with communities at the center, as always,” he added.

Addressing Outbreak Drivers

The WHO chief stated that the UN agency is collaborating with the governments of affected countries, the Africa CDC, and other partners to “understand and address the drivers of these outbreaks.”

“For instance, we are providing equipment to analyze blood samples and confirm mpox cases; we’re supporting laboratories in sequencing viral samples,” he explained.

He also mentioned ongoing support for case investigations, contact tracing, and training for healthcare workers, among other activities.

WHO Regional Response

The WHO has developed a regional response plan that initially requires $15 million to support surveillance, preparedness, and response activities.

This response has been partially funded by $1.45 million from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies. Additional funds will be allocated in the coming days, and Tedros is also appealing for more donor support.

Emergency Vaccines

Currently, two WHO-recommended and approved vaccines are being used to combat the mpox outbreak.

Under an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) call last week, Tedros also encouraged manufacturers of mpox vaccines to express interest in increasing production to “accelerate vaccine access for lower-income countries that have not yet issued national regulatory approvals.”

The EUL will enable partners like the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to collect vaccines for distribution.

“We are working with all partners to facilitate equitable access to diagnostics, vaccines, clinical care supplies, and other necessary tools,” Tedros said.

WHO Recommendations

Last August, Dr. Tedros released standing recommendations under the IHR to monitor mpox cases.

These recommendations were set to expire in five days—on 20 August 2024—but will be extended for another year to “support countries in responding to the chronic risk of mpox.”

Some recommendations include enhancing community protection by adapting public health and social measures to local contexts, providing guidance and resources for clinical mpox care, and more.

Tedros affirmed that WHO is “committed to coordinating the global response in the coming days and weeks, working closely with each affected country, leveraging our on-the-ground presence to prevent transmission, treat those infected, and save lives.”

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.