WHO takes action as Mpox cases rise in Africa

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called a “emergency” meeting of international specialists on Wednesday in response to an increase in cases of the most virulent version of the Mpox virus in African nations.

According to reports, this type is highly contagious and can spread quickly among people, which has WHO specialists extremely concerned.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of WHO, stated during a press conference in Geneva on Wednesday that an expert will decide whether or not the epidemic qualifies as a global emergency.

Tedros announced that the World Health Organization has allocated $1 million from its emergency fund to help combat the mpox outbreak.

Monkeypox, or mpox, has been detected in ten African countries this year, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo accounting for more than 96% of cases and deaths, according to a report released by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week.

Children in Congo who are 15 years of age or under account for roughly 70% of cases and 85% of deaths, according to the Africa CDC.

Last week, instances of mpox were initially reported in Burundi and Rwanda. instances were subsequently found in Kenya and the Central African Republic.

Up to 10% of individuals infected can die from this new, more lethal strain of mpox, which scientists first discovered this year from a mining village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

There are concerns that this variation could proliferate among people more readily.

Close contact with an infected person can spread the mpox virus, especially during sexual interactions.

The mpox virus, which mostly affects gay and bisexual males, has spread to over 70 nations, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a global emergency in 2022.

Thanks to vaccinations and therapies, the mpox virus has been mainly contained in Western nations; nevertheless, in Africa, these resources are still limited.

The head of the WHO’s outbreak division, Maria Van Kerkhove, outlined several concerning features of the mpox epidemic in Africa and demanded an immediate reaction.

“We must not allow the world to simply observe and delay,” she emphasized. “Now is the time to act.”

(Africanews)