The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared a global health emergency in response to the ongoing monkeypox outbreak in Africa.
This week, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also designated the outbreak as a public health emergency, cautioning that the rising transmission of mpox could extend beyond the continent’s borders.
A more lethal strain of the virus has emerged in four provinces in Africa that had previously been unaffected, areas that were once limited to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to the Africa CDC, there have been over 17,000 reported cases and 500 deaths across 13 African nations this year, with more than 14,000 cases noted in the DRC alone this month.
In 2022, the United States classified monkeypox as a public health emergency amid an outbreak that saw cases reported in all 50 states.
Here’s what you need to understand about mpox.
Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the highly contagious Monkeypox virus. It belongs to the same family as smallpox but is not related to chickenpox.
There are two types of the virus: Clade 1, which results in more severe illness and fatalities, and is endemic to Central Africa; and Clade 2, which triggered the global outbreak that began in 2022, is generally less severe and is endemic to West Africa.
Both variants can easily transmit between individuals via physical contact, infected animals, or contaminated materials. Symptoms include a painful skin rash or mucosal lesions, enlarged lymph nodes, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, and fever.
While the majority of individuals recover completely, some may experience severe illness. Children, pregnant individuals, and those with weakened immune systems are at a heightened risk of complications from mpox.