| No images? Click here  Wednesday, 14 August 2024 WHO Director-General declares mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concernGeneva-14 August 2024- WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has determined that the upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR). Dr Tedros’s declaration came on the advice of an IHR Emergency Committee of independent experts who met earlier in the day to review data presented by experts from WHO and affected countries. The Committee informed the Director-General that it considers the upsurge of mpox to be a PHEIC, with potential to spread further across countries in Africa and possibly outside the continent. The Director-General will share the report of the Committee’s meeting and, based on the advice of the Committee, issue temporary recommendations to countries. In declaring the PHEIC, Dr Tedros said, "The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying. On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.” WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti said, “Significant efforts are already underway in close collaboration with communities and governments, with our country teams working on the frontlines to help reinforce measures to curb mpox. With the growing spread of the virus, we’re scaling up further through coordinated international action to support countries bring the outbreaks to an end.” Committee Chair Professor Dimie Ogoina said, “The current upsurge of mpox in parts of Africa, along with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the monkeypox virus, is an emergency, not only for Africa, but for the entire globe. Mpox, originating in Africa, was neglected there, and later caused a global outbreak in 2022. It is time to act decisively to prevent history from repeating itself." This PHEIC determination is the second in two years relating to mpox. Caused by an Orthopoxvirus, mpox was first detected in humans in 1970, in the DRC. The disease is considered endemic to countries in central and west Africa. In July 2022, the multi-country outbreak of mpox was declared a PHEIC as it spread rapidly via sexual contact across a range of countries where the virus had not been seen before. That PHEIC was declared over in May 2023 after there had been a sustained decline in global cases. Mpox has been reported in the DRC for more than a decade, and the number of cases reported each year has increased steadily over that period. Last year, reported cases increased significantly, and already the number of cases reported so far this year has exceeded last year’s total, with more than 15 600 cases and 537 deaths. The emergence last year and rapid spread of a new virus strain in DRC, clade 1b, which appears to be spreading mainly through sexual networks, and its detection in countries neighbouring the DRC is especially concerning, and one of the main reasons for the declaration of the PHEIC. In the past month, over 100 laboratory-confirmed cases of clade 1b have been reported in four countries neighbouring the DRC that have not reported mpox before: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Experts believe the true number of cases to be higher as a large proportion of clinically compatible cases have not been tested. Several outbreaks of different clades of mpox have occurred in different countries, with different modes of transmission and different levels of risk. The two vaccines currently in use for mpox are recommended by WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, and are also approved by WHO-listed national regulatory authorities, as well as by individual countries including Nigeria and the DRC. Last week, the Director-General triggered the process for Emergency Use Listing for mpox vaccines, which will accelerate vaccine access for lower-income countries which have not yet issued their own national regulatory approval. Emergency Use Listing also enables partners including Gavi and UNICEF to procure vaccines for distribution. WHO is working with countries and vaccine manufacturers on potential vaccine donations, and coordinating with partners through the interim Medical Countermeasures Network to facilitate equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and other tools. WHO anticipates an immediate funding requirement of an initial US$ 15 million to support surveillance, preparedness and response activities. A needs assessment is being undertaken across the three levels of the Organization. To allow for an immediate scale up, WHO has released US$ 1.45 million from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies and may need to release more in the coming days. The Organization appeals to donors to fund the full extent of needs of the mpox response. ooooooooo Remarks made by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO on Wednesday, 14 August 2024 at the virtual press conference on the outcome of Emergency Committee (EC) convened by the WHO Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024. Good morning, good afternoon and good evening, Mpox has been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than a decade, and the number of cases reported each year has increased steadily over that period.Last year, reported cases increased significantly, and already the number of cases reported so far this year has exceeded last year’s total, with more than 14 000 cases and 524 deaths. As many of you who tune into our regular press conferences know, WHO has been working on the mpox outbreak in Africa and raising the alarm that this is something that should concern us all. Last week I announced that I was convening an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations to evaluate the upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries in Africa. Today, the Emergency Committee met and advised me that in its view, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice. The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of mpox in eastern DRC, its detection in neighbouring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying. In addition to other outbreaks of other clades of mpox in other parts of Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives. A public health emergency of international concern is the highest level of alarm under international health law. The Emergency Committee’s advice to me, and that of the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which yesterday declared a public health emergency of regional security, are aligned. WHO is on the ground, working with the affected countries, and others at risk, through our country and regional offices, as well as with partners including the Africa CDC, NGOs, civil society and more. For example, we are providing machines to analyze blood samples and confirm cases of mpox; We’re supporting laboratories to sequence viral samples; We’re on the ground supporting case investigation and contact tracing, risk communication and community engagement; We’re training health workers and supporting clinicians to provide appropriate care; We’re supporting countries to access vaccines and develop the strategies to roll them out; And much more. To fund this work, WHO has developed a regional response plan, requiring an initial US$ 15 million. We have released about US$ 1.5 million from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies, and we plan to release more in the coming days. We are also appealing to donors to fund the rest of the response plan. WHO is committed in the days and weeks ahead to coordinate the global response, working closely with each of the affected countries, and leveraging our on-the-ground presence, to prevent transmission, treat those infected, and save lives. I thank the Emergency Committee for its work and advice, and I would like to give the floor to Professor Dimie Ogoina, the Chair of the Emergency Committee, to summarize the Committee’s considerations. Links to audiovisual recording of full press conference will follow separately Other resources: Photos for media: https://photos.hq.who.int/galleries/1842/mpox-for-media Media who are not yet registered with the WHO photo library need to register once for access to WHO media images. For any questions on photo access please email photos@who.int Q&A on the IHR and ECs (click on top of the page for other languages) WHO Director-General’s remarks announcing the convening of an EC https://www.who.int/teams/ihr/ihr-review-committees IHR Emergency Committees (who.int) Notes to journalists: Please ensure you enter your name and media outlet (use name/outlet). Kindly note, only questions from media (one per journalist) are allowed. When you sign in you will be automatically put in the meeting room. WHO reserves the right to remove any participant whose behaviour causes any disruption. The event is also broadcast on WHO social media channels and you can follow it there.To ask a question, please click "raise hand" and this will enter you into the queue for questions (it can be found under the tab: participants).Please make sure you have a microphone connected or active on your computer. Do not ask questions via the chat as we cannot guarantee that we can incorporate them into the Q&A session. Media contacts:  You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list.  |
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News Release: WHO Director-General declares mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern
August 14, 2024
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