WHO Declares Mpox a PHEIC

• 19 Aug 2024

Source: IE

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox (monkeypox), a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to a significant upsurge in cases, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighbouring African countries. 

• The disease has been detected in 10 African nations this year, with over 96% of cases located in the DRC. The emergence of a new virus strain, clade 1b, spreading mainly through sexual contact, is particularly concerning.
  • The risk assessment of another clade (Ia), which is spreading mostly in children through multiple modes of transmission, has also been considered to be high.
• The PHEIC designation is the highest level of alarm under International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005), reflecting the disease's potential to spread beyond Africa. 
  • This is the second time in two years that mpox has been declared a global emergency.
• Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus. Two different clades exist: clade I and clade II.
• Symptoms: Skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last 2–4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
• Transmission: It can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with someone who is infectious, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals.
• Prevention: Mpox can be prevented by avoiding physical contact with someone who has mpox. Vaccination, including the JYNNEOS® vaccine, can help protect those at risk. 
• Treatment: Persons with mpox should be isolated. Several antivirals, such as tecovirimat, have been used to treat mpox, and further studies are underway

Read more: Mpox Virus