The World Health Organization (WHO) has activated its highest level of global health alert in response to the resurgence of mpox cases in Africa.
“Today, the emergency committee met and advised me that in its view, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice,” announced WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during a press conference.
“This is something that should concern us all,” he added.
Only the head of the WHO can declare a PHEIC, based on the recommendations of an ad hoc committee of experts.
All 15 members of the committee who participated in the meeting agreed that the criteria for declaring an international public health emergency had been met, according to Dimie Ogoina, the head of the expert group.
The WHO previously made such a declaration in 2022 when an outbreak of mpox, driven by clade (group) 2b, spread globally.
However, the current outbreak, originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and currently confined to Africa, has distinct characteristics. Primarily, it involves a more contagious and dangerous virus caused by clade 1 and an even more hazardous variant, clade 1b, which has an estimated mortality rate of 3.6%.
