WHO Declares Public Health Emergency Due to New Mpox Variant
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to a new variant of Mpox spreading across 13 African countries. In the External Situation Report 35, published by the World Health Organization on August 12, 2024, it was stated that during the period from January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024, a total of 99,176 laboratory-confirmed cases of Mpox were reported.
External Situation Report 35, published 12 August 2024
The death toll has reached 208, spread across 116 countries/areas/territories. Since last September, the Mpox virus has undergone significant mutation, resulting in the emergence of the clade Ib variant a strain that experts are now labeling as the most dangerous and transmissible version of the virus to date. This variant has shown a heightened ability to spread more quickly and efficiently compared to previous strains, raising alarms across the global health community.
The clade Ib variant has not only been detected within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) but has also begun to spread to its neighboring countries, further exacerbating concerns about its potential impact. Countries such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda have reported cases of this highly transmissible variant, signaling a worrying expansion of the outbreak across East and Central Africa.
Based on the Mpox Long-Term Risk Assessment (as of August 2024), the following conclusions were drawn:
- Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Neighboring Countries: The spread primarily affects adults and is predominantly transmitted through sexual contact. The risk level is high. (Clade IB)
- Endemic Areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: The virus mainly affects children and spreads through multiple modes of transmission. The risk level is high. (Clade Ia)
- Nigeria and West, Central, and East African Countries: The virus affects children and adults, spreading through various modes of transmission. The risk level is moderate. (Clade I and II)
- Global Impact: In all countries in Africa and around the world, outbreaks primarily affect men who have sex with men and spread predominantly through sexual contact. The risk level is moderate. (Clade IIb)
Read also:WHO Raises Alarm: Mpox Now a Global Public Health Emergency
Latest Mpox Case Statistics and Regional Spread of Mpox
As of June 2024, according to the latest complete monthly disease surveillance data available, there were 934 laboratory-confirmed mpox cases and four deaths. These reports were received from 26 countries affected by the disease. However, many countries have underestimated the number of Mpox cases reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). This underestimation poses a challenge to preventive efforts to curb the spread of Mpox in various countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported the spread of Mpox cases in several regions around the world, including the African Region (567 cases), the Region of the Americas (175 cases), the European Region (100 cases), the Western Pacific Region (81 cases), and the South-East Asia Region (11 cases). Meanwhile, the Eastern Mediterranean Region did not report any cases in June 2024.
Read also: WHO Director-General declares mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern
Southeast Asia's Response to Mpox and Preventive Measures Taken
According to the official website of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus. Initially, it was a zoonotic disease transmitted from animals to humans. Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, can also be transmitted from human to human. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) renamed the disease from monkeypox to Mpox to avoid racism and stigmatization.
In the Southeast Asia region, the number of cumulative laboratory-confirmed mpox cases and deaths reported to WHO, by WHO Region, from January 1, 2022, through June 30, 2024, remains low, with a total of 11 deaths and 925 confirmed mpox cases. However, this should not be taken lightly. This contagious disease has become a major concern for the governments of Southeast Asian countries. Although Mpox is generally a mild disease, if not handled properly and promptly, it can pose serious risks that may lead to death.
Read also: Multi-country outbreak of mpox
In 2022, Southeast Asian countries took preventive measures to monitor and control the spread of Mpox at their borders. These measures included conducting checks at airport control points, screening international arrivals by reviewing travel histories, providing health education to entry-point personnel, and developing and innovating applications to monitor travelers coming from countries with Mpox cases.
