The World Health Organization (WHO) on August 14 sounded the alarm about an mpox virus outbreak, declaring it a global health emergency for the second time in two years. While the initial outbreak in 2022 primarily affected gay and bisexual men, the current crisis is unfolding in a different, more alarming way.
Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. Most people fully recover, but some become gravely ill, and the infection can be fatal. At the heart of this resurgence is a new, more virulent strain of the virus. Originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where mpox has been endemic for decades, this new strain has rapidly spread to neighboring countries and is showing signs of adapting to new modes of transmission.
Unlike the previous outbreak, which was primarily transmitted through sexual contact, the new strain is being spread through both sexual and community transmission. It spreads by contact with infected:
- persons, through touch, kissing, or sex
- animals — hunting, skinning, or cooking them
- materials, such as contaminated sheets, clothes or needles
- pregnant women, who may pass the virus on to their unborn baby.
Thus, it is able to infect large segments of the population, posing a significant threat to public health worldwide. Overall, there have been more than 17,500 presumed and confirmed mpox cases in 13 countries, according to Africa C.D.C. Most of the cases and deaths have occurred in Congo.
Children, who are particularly vulnerable to the disease, account for a disproportionate number of fatalities. The virus’s ability to spread through communities, rather than just specific sub-populations, has exacerbated the crisis.
The Congo has approved two mpox vaccines, a Japanese product called LC16 and Jynneos, the vaccine made by Bavarian Nordic that was used in 2022 in the United States and Europe. But Congo has not yet instituted an immunization plan.
On August 9, the WHO invited vaccine manufacturers to apply for an emergency use listing, a prerequisite for international groups to purchase and distribute the shots in low-income nations.
Bavarian Nordic has donated 15,000 doses of Jynneos to be distributed in African countries, but that is a minuscule fraction of the 10 million doses needed to control the outbreak, according to Africa C.D.C.
The WHO’s decision to declare a global health emergency is a stark reminder of the virus’s potential to cause widespread harm. It is a call to action for governments, health organizations, and individuals to work together to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread.
Key challenges lie ahead. The production of sufficient amounts of effective vaccines to prevent infection by this new strain is crucial. In the longer term, addressing the root causes of the outbreak, such as poverty, malnutrition, and weak healthcare systems in affected regions, is essential for prevention.
The global community must remain vigilant; as we learned through bitter experience, pandemics can have a devastating impact on societies and economies. While the focus in recent years has understandably been on COVID-19, we cannot afford to ignore other emerging threats. Mutations of other viruses such as avian flu and mpox viruses to become more transmissible and/or more virulent are reminders that prevention is critical.
By learning from past mistakes and working together, we can prevent mpox from becoming another global catastrophe. The time to act is now.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
This post is also available in: FR (FR)