WHO declares mpox a global public health emergency for second time in two years

The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared mpox a global public health emergency, as U.S. health officials continued to warn about the risk of its spread.

The WHO issued an emergency for mpox virus for the second time in two years, following an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighboring countries.

An emergency committee of WHO, which is based in Geneva, met early Wednesday to advise WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on whether the disease outbreak constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern," or PHEIC.

PHEIC status is WHO's highest alert, designed to accelerate research, funding and international public health measures and cooperation to contain a disease.

"It's clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives," said Tedros.

Mpox can spread through close contact. The disease is usually mild but can be fatal in rare cases. It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body.

The outbreak in Congo began with the spread of an endemic strain, known as clade I. But a new variant, clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual contact.

It has spread from Congo to neighboring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, triggering this action Wednesday from the WHO.

"The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of mpox in eastern DRC, its detection in neighboring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying," Tedros added.

Tedros said on Wednesday WHO had released $1.5 million in contingency funds and planned to release more in the coming days. WHO's response would require an initial $15 million, and the agency plans to appeal to donors for funding.

Earlier this week, Africa's top public health body declared an mpox emergency for the continent after warning that the viral infection was spreading at an alarming rate, with more than 17,000 suspected cases and more than 500 deaths this year, mainly among children in Congo.

Professor Dimie Ogoina, chair of WHO's mpox emergency committee, said all members unanimously agreed that the current upsurge of cases is an "extraordinary event," with a record number of cases in Congo.

Vaccines and behavior change helped stop the spread when a different strain of mpox spread globally – primarily among men who have sex with men – when WHO declared an emergency in 2022.

In Congo, the transmission routes need further study, WHO said. No vaccines are available, although efforts are underway to change that and figure out who best to target. The agency also appealed to countries with stockpiles to donate shots.

U.S. sees ongoing cases of different virus, urges vigilance

The global mpox outbreak in 2022 was caused by a different strain of mpox, clade II, which is still present in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The latest warning for mpox highlights the clade I virus and its variant, which is believed to be more transmissible and cause more serious illness. No cases from clade I have been reported outside of central or eastern Africa, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in an alert last week. It said the spread in the U.S. was a “very low risk" at this time.

The CDC's alert last week was the agency's second about clade I mpox since December. The federal health agency issued that alert in response to the worsening spread of mpox in and around Congo. Since January 2023, Congo has reported the largest yearly number of suspected clade I mpox cases.

The virus is endemic or naturally occurring and has spread beyond Congo’s borders. The WHO said there have been over 14,000 reported cases of the virus with 524 deaths in the region in 2024, a significant increase from 2023.

Because of the risk of spread, the CDC warned clinicians and health agencies to “maintain a heightened index of suspicion” for patients who had recently been in Congo or countries that share borders with it and present signs and symptoms consistent with mpox. Still, the CDC said the limited number of travelers entering Congo or visiting from neighboring countries lowers the risk of the disease spreading.

In a news release, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that while clade I mpox causes more severe infections and deaths in Congo, American officials expect lower morbidity and mortality in the U.S.

Symptoms, vaccine

For those who think they may have been exposed, the CDC offers this guidance on what to look for, including these possible symptoms of mpox:

• a rash at the hands, feet, chest, face, mouth or near the genitals;

• fever;

• chills;

• swollen lymph nodes;

• fatigue;

• muscle aches or backaches;

• headache;

• respiratory symptoms, such as sore throat, nasal congestion and cough.

The CDC recommends the JYNNEOS vaccine for people exposed to mpox. A two-dose regimen provides protection to people regardless of the type of mpox virus. However, the vaccine is generally not available in Congo, where it's most needed. On Wednesday, HHS said the U.S. is donating 50,000 JYNNEOS vaccine doses to Congo.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WHO: Mpox a global public health emergency