The World Health Organization declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency, following the declaration by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention for the continent. The virus, identified as a deadlier strain known as clade Ib, is rapidly spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has already reached four other African countries previously unaffected. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern over the risk of further international spread, calling it “very worrying.”
Chair of WHO’s emergency committee, Dimie Ogoina stated, “What we have in Africa is the tip of the iceberg. We are not recognizing, or we don’t have the full picture of, this burden of mpox.” As experts around the world closely monitor the situation, the risk of the United States is currently considered low.
Mpox, a viral disease related to smallpox, can spread through close contact and contaminated materials. Symptoms typically start with flu-like indications followed by a rash with raised lesions that scab over. The ongoing outbreak is driven by clade I, which causes more severe disease compared to clade II.
The new subtype causing most of the spread, clade Ib, is recently emerged and adapted to humans. The virus, usually transmitted from animals to humans, can drive larger outbreaks once it mutates. With overlapping outbreaks of different clades in different countries, the current situation poses multiple challenges.
While the majority of cases are in the DRC, mpox has spread to at least 13 African countries, with Sweden reporting its first case outside of Africa. Vaccines are available, but accessibility remains a concern, particularly in Africa. Gavi has allocated funds for mpox vaccines and will establish a global stockpile beginning in 2026. WHO has approved the Emergency Use Listing process for mpox vaccines and developed a regional response plan requiring $15 million, with additional doses being produced by the end of the year.
WHO emphasized that a comprehensive response to contain the spread of mpox will require increased surveillance, diagnostics, and research to bridge gaps in understanding. The organization is working towards distributing vaccines and providing support to affected countries, including the DRC and Nigeria.