The World Health Organization (WHO) has convened an emergency meeting to address the rapid spread of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox cases from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to neighboring countries, sparking concerns of a potential international outbreak.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the meeting on Wednesday, citing the surge in cases and deaths in the DRC, where nearly 27,000 people have been infected and over 1,100 have died, mostly children.
The emergency committee will convene “as soon as possible” to advise the WHO on whether the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the highest level of alert.
The meeting comes as mpox cases have been reported in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, countries where the virus was previously unknown.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported a 160% increase in cases and a 19% rise in deaths across 10 African nations this year.
The WHO declared mpox a global emergency in 2022, but vaccine disparities have hindered efforts to eradicate the disease, particularly in low-income countries.
