WHO and African CDC declare mpox a public health emergency

The World Health Organization has declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) for the second time, warning that the viral disease could spread quickly to new countries.

WHO’s director general made the announcement on 14 August after an emergency committee of independent experts reviewed the rapidly rising number of infections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the spread of the disease to new African nations where it had previously never been recorded. “It’s clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

Ghebreyesus’s announcement followed the declaration a day earlier (13 August) by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that mpox had formally become a regional public health emergency. More than 15 000 cases and 400 deaths have been recorded in the region this year, according to the agency’s figures.

The number of infections is 160% higher than in 2023, and the virus has spread to six new countries in 10 days, Jean Kaseya, director general of the African CDC told a press conference on 8 August.

On 13 August, Kaseya said: “This declaration is not merely a formality; it is a clarion call to action. It is a recognition that we can no longer afford to be reactive. We must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this threat. This declaration aims to enhance the global response, mitigate the impact of the health threat, and protect public health while minimising disruptions to travel and trade.”