An emergency committee met Wednesday morning to advise WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on whether the outbreak constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern,” or PHEIC.
The PHEIC status is WHO's highest alert level and is intended to accelerate international research, funding, public health measures, and cooperation to contain the outbreak. "It is clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives," Tedros said.
Mpox can be spread through close contact. It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body.
A nurse takes a sample from a child suspected of having Mpox in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo on July 19, 2024. Photo: Reuters
The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo began with the spread of an endemic strain, known as clade I. But a new variant, clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through casual close contact, including sex.
The disease has spread from Congo to neighboring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, prompting the WHO to intervene.
WHO has released $1.5 million in contingency funds and plans to release more in the coming days, Tedros said Wednesday. The WHO response plan will require an initial $15 million, and the agency plans to appeal to donors for funding.
Earlier this week, Africa's top public health agency declared a continent-wide emergency after warning that the viral infection was spreading at an alarming rate, with more than 17,000 suspected cases and more than 500 deaths this year, mostly children in Congo.
Professor Dimie Ogoina, chair of the WHO's mpox emergency committee, said all members agreed that the current surge in cases was an "extraordinary event", with a record number of cases in Congo.
Vaccines and behavioral changes have helped stem the spread as another strain of mpox emerged globally, mainly in men who have sex with men, and the WHO declared a global emergency in 2022.
WHO said that the routes of transmission in Congo needed further study. It also called on countries with stockpiles to donate vaccines against the disease.
Hoang Anh (according to WHO, Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/who-tuyen-bo-dich-benh-dau-mua-khi-la-truong-hop-khan-cap-ve-suc-khoe-cong-dong-toan-cau-post307731.html
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