The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared monkeypox, an infection caused by the monkeypox virus, a global health emergency following a surge in cases in Africa, officials said Wednesday.
The declaration comes following outbreaks of MPOX in 13 African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Central African Republic.
Along with a shortage of vaccines, a new form of the virus, known as lineage I, is believed to be causing the spread of the virus.
More than 17,000 cases are expected to be reported across Africa in 2024, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a significant increase from the 14,957 cases in 2023 and 7,146 cases in 2022.
The Africa CDC reported 500 deaths and called for international medical assistance.
Smallpox surges in African countries
According to the WHO, the alert is called a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC), the highest level of alert under international health law.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was concerned the outbreak could spread further in Africa.
What is mpox?
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is caused by infection with the monkeypox virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The virus is similar to the virus that causes smallpox, according to the CDC. It is not related to chickenpox.
The disease is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted from vertebrate animals to humans, but there have been reports of increased human-to-human transmission since 2016, according to Politico.
MPOX cases in the United States
Why does mpox spread so easily?
Mpox is usually transmitted to humans from rodents or primates through bite wounds, aerosol transmission, or contact with infected body fluids.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), person-to-person transmission usually occurs through respiratory secretions, infected skin lesions, or close contact with recently contaminated objects.
Common symptoms of mpox
Mpox symptoms last for two to four weeks. Within one to three days of infection, a patient will develop a rash on their face that spreads to other parts of the body, according to the CDC. The fluid-filled lesions go through a series of stages before drying out and flaking off.
The incubation period (the time between infection and the appearance of symptoms) is usually 6-13 days but can take anywhere from 5-21 days.
Symptoms of mpox include:
According to the WHO, symptoms of MPOX are similar to those of smallpox, but are less severe. People infected with MPOX often develop a rash and other symptoms. The rash goes through several stages, including crusting, before healing, according to the CDC.
According to the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, about 10 million doses of vaccine would be needed to combat epidemics in Africa.
Sources: USA TODAY Network reporting and investigations, World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
