NBC News
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global emergency over monkeypox on Wednesday, as an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread rapidly to neighboring countries.
It is the second time in two years that the country’s top health agency has declared a national emergency over monkeypox, an infection that spreads through direct contact with the skin.
The infection is usually mild, but in rare cases it can be fatal. Monkeypox causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled sores on the body.
The WHO’s declaration of a “public health emergency of international concern” — the health agency’s highest level of alert — can accelerate international research, funding, public health measures and cooperation to contain it.
The outbreak in 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 close contact, including sexual contact.
The outbreak has spread rapidly to neighbouring countries including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
“It is clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Earlier this week, Africa’s top public health body declared a monkeypox emergency on the continent, after warning that the viral infection was spreading at an alarming rate.
So far this year, more than 17,000 suspected cases of monkeypox and 517 deaths have been reported on the African continent, a 160% increase in cases compared to the same period last year, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A total of 13 countries have reported cases.
A different form of the virus, the clade IIb strain, spread around the world in 2022, mainly through sexual contact between men who have sex with men. This led the WHO to declare a public health emergency, which ended 10 months later.
