Africa declares public health emergency over monkeypox as WHO issues highest alert
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared a public health emergency due to the outbreak of monkeypox on the continent, calling for action to limit its spread.
The head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jean Kasia, said the disease threatens security on the continent, and that declaring a state of emergency isn’t just a formality, it’s a clear call to action.
The head of the African Union health body considered, during a press conference, that the declaration of emergency is an admission that it’s no longer possible to act on a reactive basis, and that efforts must be proactive in containing and eliminating this threat.
This decision comes amid awaiting the response of the World Health Organization’s expert committee regarding whether the outbreak of “Mpox” constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.
Figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that, as of August 4, there have been 38,465 cases of smallpox in 16 African countries, and 1,456 deaths on the continent since January 2022, with a 160% increase in cases in 2024 compared to the previous year.
On this context, the World Health Organization on Wednesday declared the outbreak of monkeypox in Africa a global health emergency, the highest level of alert issued by the agency.
The announcement came as cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo increased and the disease spread to neighboring countries, prompting the organization to convene a meeting of experts to discuss the situation.
The Director-General of the organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, explained during a press conference that the Emergency Committee informed him that the current situation constitutes a global health emergency, and he agreed to this assessment.
Tedros added that the emergence of a new strain of monkeypox and its rapid spread in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and its appearance in neighboring countries where no cases had been recorded previously, increases concerns.
He stressed the importance of a coordinated international response to stop the spread of the disease and save lives, stressing that everyone is concerned with these efforts.
Tedros pointed out that the number of infections has reached more than 14,000 cases, with 524 deaths recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo this year, exceeding the number recorded last year.
At the Emergency Committee meeting, Tedros expressed concern about the 1B strain of the virus that is spreading rapidly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries, particularly through sexual networks.
Last month, about 90 cases of the 1B strain were recorded in four neighboring countries that had not previously recorded cases: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
The declaration of a public health emergency of international concern triggers international emergency responses under international health regulations, as this is the second such declaration for monkeypox, but it focuses on a new and more deadly strain.
In May 2022, monkeypox cases spread around the world, with most infections concentrated among gay and bisexual men, caused by the 2B strain.
The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency that lasted from July 2022 to May 2023, and the outbreak, which has now largely subsided, resulted in about 140 deaths out of about 90,000 cases.
Subtype 1B, which has been circulating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since September 2023, causes more severe illness with a higher mortality rate.
Monkeypox is a contagious disease that is transmitted between humans and infected animals, causing symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, and a rash.
WHO vaccination experts recommend two vaccines for monkeypox.
A public health emergency of international concern has only been declared seven times since 2009, for H1N1 swine flu, polio, Ebola, Zika, Ebola again, Covid, and most recently monkeypox.
Marion Koopmans, director of the Center for Epidemic and Disaster Management at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, stressed that declaring a state of emergency increases the level of global preparedness and may enable the organization to obtain the necessary funding for the emergency response.
However, she noted that priorities remain focused on strengthening diagnostic and health response capacities and supporting treatment and vaccination, warning that this will be a challenge due to lack of resources in the DRC and neighboring countries.
Globally, despite the availability of basic resources and capabilities, the international outbreak that began in 2022 has not been contained.
For its part, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies announced the strengthening of preparedness measures throughout Africa, especially in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is the most affected, expressing its deep concern about the spread of the virus.
The Union affirmed its readiness to play a decisive role in containing the spread of the disease, even in hard-to-reach areas where the need is greatest.
The Monkeypox is a contagious disease caused by a virus that is transmitted to humans through infected animals, and can also be transmitted from one person to another through close physical contact, and the disease causes fever, muscle pain and skin inflammation.
The virus was first discovered in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
