WHO on High Alert as Deadly Mpox Outbreak Spreads Across Africa
Science/Medical/Technology
Thursday 8th, August 2024
The World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing to convene an emergency committee to assess whether the ongoing mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) warrants being declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). This comes as the outbreak, which has already led to approximately 27,000 cases and claimed over 1,100 lives predominantly among children, continues to spread across Central and East Africa.
Since the beginning of 2023, the outbreak in the DRC has intensified, driven by the Clade Ib strain of the mpox virus. This variant appears to spread more easily through close contact, particularly among children, who account for nearly 70% of cases and 85% of deaths, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). In response, the WHO has released €920,000 ($1 million) from its contingency fund for emergencies to bolster the response efforts, with plans to allocate additional resources in the coming days.
The WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated at a press briefing in Geneva that the organisation is mobilising an emergency committee of international experts to provide technical advice on the situation. "We have released €920,000 from the WHO contingency fund for emergencies to support scale-up of the response, and we plan to release more in the coming days", Dr Tedros confirmed. The committee will be convened "as soon as possible", though no specific date has been set.
The spread of mpox beyond the DRC is particularly concerning. The WHO reported that confirmed and suspected cases have been identified in four neighbouring countries, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, where the virus had not been previously reported. The Clade Ib strain responsible for the outbreak in the DRC has been detected in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, while the strain in Burundi is still under investigation.
This strain of mpox is deadlier and more transmissible than others, with a mortality rate that can reach up to 10% among children. Unlike other strains that typically cause lesions and rashes confined to the face, mouth, and genitals, Clade Ib causes widespread skin rashes across the entire body. This has heightened concerns about its potential to cause significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in regions with limited access to healthcare.
In response to the growing threat, WHO has initiated the process for emergency use listing of two mpox vaccines, Bavarian Nordic's Jynneos and KM Biologics' LC16. Both vaccines were approved for use by Congolese authorities in June. However, vaccine availability remains limited in Africa, where access to such preventive measures is crucial to controlling the outbreak.
Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of this new, more dangerous form of mpox in a Congolese mining town, raising fears about its potential to spread more widely. Unlike previous outbreaks that were largely contained within Central and West Africa through sporadic animal to human transmission, the current outbreak is characterised by sustained human to human transmission.
In 2022, a different, less severe form of the virus (Clade IIb) prompted WHO to declare a global health emergency after it spread to more than 70 countries, predominantly affecting gay and bisexual men. That emergency has since ended, but the organisation maintains that the disease remains a significant health threat.
WHO officials have stressed the urgency of the situation. Maria Van Kerkhove, who leads WHO's outbreak response team, urged a more proactive approach, "We do not want the world to sit and watch and wait. The time [to act] is now".
Since the beginning of 2023, the outbreak in the DRC has intensified, driven by the Clade Ib strain of the mpox virus. This variant appears to spread more easily through close contact, particularly among children, who account for nearly 70% of cases and 85% of deaths, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). In response, the WHO has released €920,000 ($1 million) from its contingency fund for emergencies to bolster the response efforts, with plans to allocate additional resources in the coming days.
The WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated at a press briefing in Geneva that the organisation is mobilising an emergency committee of international experts to provide technical advice on the situation. "We have released €920,000 from the WHO contingency fund for emergencies to support scale-up of the response, and we plan to release more in the coming days", Dr Tedros confirmed. The committee will be convened "as soon as possible", though no specific date has been set.
The spread of mpox beyond the DRC is particularly concerning. The WHO reported that confirmed and suspected cases have been identified in four neighbouring countries, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, where the virus had not been previously reported. The Clade Ib strain responsible for the outbreak in the DRC has been detected in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, while the strain in Burundi is still under investigation.
This strain of mpox is deadlier and more transmissible than others, with a mortality rate that can reach up to 10% among children. Unlike other strains that typically cause lesions and rashes confined to the face, mouth, and genitals, Clade Ib causes widespread skin rashes across the entire body. This has heightened concerns about its potential to cause significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in regions with limited access to healthcare.
In response to the growing threat, WHO has initiated the process for emergency use listing of two mpox vaccines, Bavarian Nordic's Jynneos and KM Biologics' LC16. Both vaccines were approved for use by Congolese authorities in June. However, vaccine availability remains limited in Africa, where access to such preventive measures is crucial to controlling the outbreak.
Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of this new, more dangerous form of mpox in a Congolese mining town, raising fears about its potential to spread more widely. Unlike previous outbreaks that were largely contained within Central and West Africa through sporadic animal to human transmission, the current outbreak is characterised by sustained human to human transmission.
In 2022, a different, less severe form of the virus (Clade IIb) prompted WHO to declare a global health emergency after it spread to more than 70 countries, predominantly affecting gay and bisexual men. That emergency has since ended, but the organisation maintains that the disease remains a significant health threat.
WHO officials have stressed the urgency of the situation. Maria Van Kerkhove, who leads WHO's outbreak response team, urged a more proactive approach, "We do not want the world to sit and watch and wait. The time [to act] is now".
