The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the mpox outbreak in parts of Africa a public health emergency of inte ational conce .

The highly contagious disease, formerly known as monkeypox, has led to at least 450 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A new, highly fatal variant, Clade 1b, has emerged and spread rapidly, with significant conce about its impact across central and east Africa.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's chief, emphasized the urgency for a coordinated global response to contain the outbreak and save lives. Mpox is transmitted through close contact and can be fatal, with four in 100 cases resulting in death.

The declaration of this emergency is expected to catalyze research, funding, and public health interventions. Experts from the Wellcome Trust, Emory University, and the University of Oxford have highlighted the severity and the unknowns posed by the new strain.

In a previous 2022 outbreak, a milder variant, Clade 2, spread to nearly 100 countries, causing over 87,000 cases and 140 deaths. Vaccination was crucial in controlling that outbreak. African health authorities are urging proactive measures to prevent the current crisis from escalating.
(colombotimes.lk)