WHO Declares Outbreak of Mpox Virus in African Countries, Video Emerges

• WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the mpox virus outbreak in some African countries
• The IHR Emergency Committee reviewed rising mpox cases in eastern DRC and neighbouring regions, raising concerns about the virus’s rapid spread
• WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, emphasized ongoing efforts in collaboration with governments, with a focus on scaling up international support

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), has declared the mpox virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other African countries as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

This declaration, made under the International Health Regulations (2005), follows a meeting of an independent IHR Emergency Committee, which assessed the rising cases of mpox across Africa and its potential to spread globally.

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Experts raise alarm on the rapid spread of mpox virus

The decision was influenced by the advice of an IHR Emergency Committee composed of independent experts, as contained on WHO web page.

They reviewed data from WHO and affected countries, concluding that the upsurge in mpox cases presents a serious health threat, Leadership reported.

The Committee’s assessment highlighted the virus’s rapid spread in eastern DRC and neighboring regions, which has raised concerns about possible international transmission.

WHO speaks on urgency to tackle mpox virus

Dr. Tedros emphasized the urgency of a coordinated international response, stating,

"The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighboring countries are very worrying.

"It’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives."

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WHO highlight efforts in combatting mpox virus

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, underscored the efforts already underway to combat the virus.

Moeti said:

"Significant efforts are already underway in close collaboration with communities and governments.

"With the growing spread of the virus, we’re scaling up further through coordinated international action to support countries to bring the outbreaks to an end."

The WHO is working closely with country teams and governments across Africa to implement measures aimed at containing the virus, while also ramping up international support to strengthen the response.

See the video below:

WHO renames Monkeypox to mpox

In related development, Legit.ng reported that Monkeypox is to be renamed mpox, the World Health Organization announced Monday, in a bid to avoid stigmatisation stemming from the existing name.

Monkeypox received its name because the virus was originally identified in monkeys kept for research in Denmark in 1958, but the disease is found in a number of animals, and most frequently in rodents.

Source: Legit.ng