A surge in monkeypox infections in Africa has triggered vaccine efforts
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the recent surge in monkeypox virus infections in Africa a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and urged a vaccination campaign.
Monkeypox has long been endemic in central Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). When the virus began spreading widely in late 2022, the WHO declared an emergency and renamed the disease “mpox” to reduce stigma.
“On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives,” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.
Tedros made the announcement following the WHO emergency committee’s decision that the surge in infections had the potential to spread across Africa and potentially beyond the continent.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has already declared a health emergency, citing the spread of the virus to Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
According to the WHO, over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported this year, surpassing last year’s total.
The virus “appears to be spreading mainly through sexual networks,” Dr. Tedros said, describing the development as “especially concerning.” The WHO has long identified gay men as a key population affected by the virus.
“The current upsurge of mpox in parts of Africa, along with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the monkeypox virus, is an emergency not only for Africa, but for the entire globe,” WHO Emergency Committee Chair Professor Dimie Ogoina said on Wednesday.
“Mpox, originating in Africa, was neglected there, and later caused a global outbreak in 2022. It is time to act decisively to prevent history from repeating itself,” Ogoina added.
The WHO has recommended using two vaccines approved by national regulators and initiated emergency use procedures to allow countries without approved vaccines to use them.
Dr. Tedros has estimated the initial cost of the regional response plan to stop the spread of the virus at $15 million. The WHO has already released $1.45 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies, with plans to disburse more in the coming days.
The disease is primarily transmitted through skin and mucosal contact with an infected person, contaminated materials, or infected animals. Symptoms include an acute rash, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, muscle and body aches, high fever, and headaches. The virus was first detected in macaque monkeys in the late 1950s, leading to its original designation. The WHO registered the first human case in 1970, in what was then called Zaire.