The World Health Organization (WHO) today declared the highest level of alert for mpox (monkey pox) at the international level, in the wake of the outbreak of cases in African countries.

“Today, the emergency response committee met and informed me that it considers the situation a public health emergency. I share this view“, announced WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“It is clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop the outbreak and save lives“, he emphasized.

mpox, or monkey pox, as it was formerly known, is a viral disease transmitted from animals to humans. It can also be spread from person to person by close physical contact.

A total of 38,465 cases have been recorded in 16 African countries since January 2022.

Of these patients, 1,456 died. This year, there is a 160% increase in cases compared to the previous year, according to data released by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) last week.

A new strain first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo in September 2023 and named Clade Ib.

This strain is more deadly and more easily transmitted than the previous ones. If someone is infected with Clade Ib they may develop skin rashes all over the body, whereas with previous strains the rashes were limited to the mouth, face or genitals.

The first case of monkeypox in humans was identified in 1970 in DR Congo (formerly Zaire), where the Clade I subtype had spread.

Since then, the disease has remained confined to West and Central African countries, and most people become infected through contact with animals.

In 2022, an epidemic broke out that spread to almost 100 countries where the disease was not endemic.

The disease mainly affected gay and bisexual men.

In July 2022 the WHO declared a global alert but about a year later, in May 2023, it was lifted. About 90,000 cases and 140 deaths were recorded.