The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday declared the mpox outbreaks in Congo and elsewhere in Africa a global emergency as health authorities sound the alarm about the rapid spread of the disease and a dangerous strain moving across borders.
“This is something that should concern us all … The potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, according to an AP report.
The WHO’s declaration yesterday follows the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) officially declaring mpox a “public health emergency of continental security” earlier in the week.
The Africa CDC’s decision, the first time it has acted on its own such a case, reflects scientists’ deep worry that the outbreak could evolve into an epidemic that spreads across the continent – and possibly beyond. They note that the virus is making an alarming appearance not just in rural regions, but also in densely populated areas. ….more