In response to the growing number of mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and several African countries, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has declared the mpox outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005). This decision comes after an IHR Emergency Committee, composed of independent experts, advised on the matter.

The Committee's advice emphasized the potential for further spread of mpox within Africa and possibly beyond, given the emergence of a new clade of the virus in the DRC and its detection in neighboring countries.

Dr. Tedros expressed his concerns, stating, "The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying. 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."

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, highlighted the significant efforts already underway to combat the disease. She stated, "Significant efforts are already underway in close collaboration with communities and governments, with our country teams working on the frontlines to help reinforce measures to curb mpox. With the growing spread of the virus, we're scaling up further through coordinated international action to support countries bring the outbreaks to an end."

Professor Dimie Ogoina, Chair of the IHR Emergency Committee, emphasized the urgency of addressing the current mpox situation. He stated, "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. 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."

This PHEIC declaration is the second related to mpox in two years. Originating from an Orthopoxvirus, mpox was first detected in humans in 1970, with DRC being its endemic region. The disease has been reported in various countries across Africa, with cases steadily increasing over the years. Last year, reported cases significantly rose, surpassing last year's total with over 15,600 cases and 537 deaths.

The emergence of a new virus strain, clade 1b, spreading primarily through sexual networks, and its detection in neighboring countries, is particularly concerning. Over 100 laboratory-confirmed cases of clade 1b have been reported in four countries neighboring DRC within the past month. Experts believe the actual number of cases to be higher due to untested clinically compatible cases.

The two vaccines currently available for mpox have been recommended by WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization. Last week, the WHO initiated the process for Emergency Use Listing for mpox vaccines, aiming to expedite vaccine access for lower-income countries without national regulatory approval. This listing also enables partners like Gavi and UNICEF to procure vaccines for distribution.

WHO is actively coordinating with countries, vaccine manufacturers, and partners to facilitate equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other essential tools. An immediate funding requirement of US$ 15 million has been identified to support surveillance, preparedness, and response activities. WHO has released US$ 1.45 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to facilitate an immediate scale-up. The Organization appeals to donors to fund the full extent of needs for the mpox response.