Mpox outbreak might be declared public health emergency amid recent spread: WHO

GENEVA

The World Health Organization (WHO) chief said Wednesday that he has convened an emergency committee to advise whether the mpox outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern amid its recent spread.

"In light of the spread of mpox outside (the Democratic Republic of Congo) DRC, and the potential for further international spread within and outside Africa, I have decided to convene an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations to advise me on whether the outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.

Tedros noted that the committee will meet "as soon as possible" and will be made up of independent experts from a range of relevant disciplines from around the world.

Speaking at a press briefing, he said that the DRC reported 14,000 cases and 511 deaths since the beginning of the year, adding that about 50 confirmed and more suspected cases have been reported in its four neighboring countries – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a rare disease caused by different viruses called clades. It leads to rashes and flu-like symptoms, according to the WHO.

Clade 1 has been circulating in the DRC for years, while clade 2 was responsible for the global outbreak which began in 2022.

The current outbreak in the eastern DRC is caused by a new offshoot of clade 1, called clade 1b, which causes "more severe disease than clade 2," Tedros said.

He said that clade 1b had been confirmed in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, while the clade in Burundi is still being analyzed.

Cases of clade 1a have been reported this year in DRC, the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo, while clade 2 has been reported in Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria and South Africa, the WHO chief said.