The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the mpox outbreak in Africa a global public health emergency, its highest alarm level, due to the rising cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighboring countries.
WHO convened an urgent meeting of experts to assess the situation.
The committee recommended declaring a public health emergency of international concern, which WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accepted, citing the risk of further spread.
The outbreak involves a new, more dangerous mpox strain spreading rapidly in the DRC and nearby nations like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, raising global concern.
WHO stressed the need for a coordinated international response.
Mpox, once called monkeypox, is an infectious disease transmitted by animals or through close human contact.
The current strain, clade 1b, is deadlier and has a higher fatality rate compared to the previous clade 2b outbreak.
WHO has declared seven public health emergencies since 2009, with mpox being the latest.
Experts emphasize the urgent need for diagnostic capacity, public health response, and vaccination, especially in resource-limited regions like the DRC.
