The World Health Organization has once again declared monkeypox a global public health emergency, marking the second such declaration since 2022. This decision follows a significant outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has quickly spread to neighboring countries. The WHO’s highest alert level will help facilitate increased funding and research aimed at managing the disease.
An emergency committee convened earlier on Wednesday to advise WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on whether the situation warranted classification as a “public health emergency of international concern” (PHEIC). The PHEIC status allows for enhanced research efforts, funding, and international collaboration to control the outbreak.
Tedros emphasized the need for a unified global response, stating, “It’s clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”
Monkeypox typically spreads through close contact and, while often mild, can be fatal in rare cases. Symptoms include flu-like signs and pus-filled lesions on the skin.
The current outbreak in Congo originated with an endemic strain known as clade I, but a newly identified variant, clade Ib, appears to transmit more effectively through routine close interactions, including sexual contact. This new variant has spread from Congo to nearby countries such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, prompting the WHO’s intervention.
“The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of monkeypox in eastern DRC, its detection in neighboring countries that had not previously reported cases, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very concerning,” Tedros stated.
In response to the emergency, the WHO has already allocated $1.5 million in contingency funds, with plans to release additional resources soon. The organization’s response plan is projected to require an initial $15 million, and it will seek further donations from international partners.
Earlier in the week, Africa’s leading public health agency declared a monkeypox emergency for the continent, noting a worrying increase in cases, with over 17,000 suspected instances and more than 500 deaths this year, particularly among children in the Congo.
Professor Dimie Ogoina, who chairs the WHO’s emergency committee on monkeypox, reported unanimous agreement among members that the surge in cases represents an “extraordinary event,” with a record number of infections observed in Congo.
Vaccination and behavioral changes were pivotal in curtailing a previous global outbreak of a different monkeypox strain, which predominantly affected men who have sex with men, leading to the WHO’s 2022 emergency declaration. However, the current transmission routes in Congo require further investigation, and there are no vaccines available yet, although efforts are being made to develop them and determine priority groups for vaccination. The agency has appealed to countries with vaccine stockpiles to consider donating doses.