Africa CDC and WHO Declare Global Health Emergencies as Mpox Cases Exceed 15,000

Aug 14, 2024, 05:54 PM

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has declared a public health emergency of continental security due to an outbreak of mpox that originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has spread to neighboring countries. The outbreak has resulted in over 15,000 cases and 524 deaths across 18 African countries so far this year. Following this, the World Health Organization (WHO) has also declared the mpox outbreak a global health emergency, citing the rapid spread of a new form of the virus across 13 countries in Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, where 14,000 cases have been reported. The WHO's declaration marks the second time in two years that mpox has been classified as a global health emergency, as the organization seeks to contain the virus and prevent it from crossing international borders.