2024-08-07 17:25:01
AFP
Mpox: WHO decides to convene an emergency committee meeting
The WHO emergency committee on mpox will meet “as soon as possible” to assess whether to declare the highest level of alert regarding the ongoing epidemic in several African countries, the organization’s head announced on Wednesday. “Given the spread of mpox outside the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and the possibility of new international spread within and outside Africa, I have decided to convene an emergency committee (…) to advise me on whether the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The committee will meet as soon as possible,” he added at a press conference. This classification is the highest alert that WHO can trigger, and it is the head of WHO who can initiate it based on the committee’s advice. Mpox, also known as monkeypox, was first discovered in humans in 1970 in what is now the DRC (formerly Zaire), with the spread of clade 1 subtype (of which the new variant is a mutation), primarily limited since then to countries in West and Central Africa, with patients usually infected by contaminated animals. In 2022, a global outbreak, driven by clade 2 subtype, spread to about a hundred countries where the disease was not endemic, particularly affecting gay and bisexual men. The WHO had declared the highest alert in July 2022 in response to this surge in cases globally and lifted it less than a year later, in May 2023. The outbreak resulted in about 140 deaths out of approximately 90,000 cases. However, the new strain of mpox, detected in the DRC in September 2023 and named “clade 1b,” has raised concerns about the spread of this virus. The WHO is particularly worried that clade 1b “causes a more severe illness than clade 2,” observed Dr. Tedros. “Since the beginning of the year, the DRC has experienced a severe mpox outbreak, with over 14,000 reported cases and 511 deaths,” he detailed, adding that “the number of reported cases in the first six months of this year is equal to that of the entire last year, and the virus has spread to provinces that were not previously affected.” – 15 million dollars – Furthermore, Dr. Tedros noted that “over the past month, around fifty confirmed cases and more suspected cases have been reported in four neighboring countries of the DRC that had never reported cases before: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.” He specified that clade 1b has been confirmed in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, while analyses are still underway for Burundi. In the DRC, as of August 3, the African Union’s health agency, Africa CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), reported 14,479 confirmed and suspected cases and 455 deaths, resulting in a lethality rate of about 3%. The WHO is collaborating with the governments of affected countries and other partners to understand the factors behind these outbreaks and address them. “Stopping transmission will require a comprehensive response,” said Dr. Tedros, emphasizing that the WHO advises not to impose travel restrictions to the affected countries. The organization has developed a regional action plan requiring 15 million dollars (13.7 million euros) to support surveillance, preparedness, and intervention activities. “We need to be able to characterize these viruses, to truly understand the epidemiology,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s lead on epidemic and pandemic preparedness. “Financial support is needed in the face of mpox. We need to scale up the response to tackle an outbreak in multiple countries, particularly regarding clade 1b.” Dr. Tedros reminded that there are two vaccines against mpox and expressed that he hopes they can be added to the WHO’s list of safe emergency tools to expedite their distribution. apo/mba
Future Trends in Mpox Management and Public Health Response
The recent decision by the World Health Organization (WHO) to convene an emergency committee regarding the mpox outbreak highlights the critical nature of public health threats in our globalized world. As the disease spreads beyond its traditional borders in Africa, we can anticipate several trends that may shape the response to mpox and similar health crises in the future.
One significant trend is the increasing focus on global surveillance and rapid response mechanisms. The emergence of the new mpox variant, clade 1b, which has demonstrated a higher severity compared to previous strains, underscores the necessity for enhanced monitoring systems. Countries will likely invest in robust health information sharing platforms that allow for real-time data exchange regarding outbreaks.
Another potential trend is the prioritization of vaccine distribution and development. The WHO has emphasized the need for access to effective vaccines as part of its strategy to combat mpox. We may see a push towards integrating vaccines into emergency health response frameworks, recommending a preemptive stockpile approach where nations maintain a reserve to facilitate rapid deployment during outbreaks.
Furthermore, we can expect an increase in public health funding directed towards outbreak preparedness. The WHO’s identification of a $15 million funding requirement for regional action against mpox indicates a broader trend toward allocating resources for comprehensive public health initiatives. Governments and private entities might collaborate more frequently to create funding pools for epidemic readiness.
Lastly, international collaboration will be essential in shaping how we address global health threats. The rise of transnational health challenges necessitates cooperative frameworks that transcend borders, allowing countries to share expertise, resources, and strategies. As seen with mpox, the importance of coordinated efforts cannot be overstated, and forthcoming health policies will likely reflect this need for collaboration.