Mpox declared a global emergency by WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Mpox a global health emergency as scientists say they are alarmed by a new strain that is spreading.

It follows an emergency committee meeting held by the director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today.

Many of the cases are currently centred on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries in Africa.

But this update now means that Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is of international concern and constitutes a health risk to other countries around the globe.

It also means governments around the world can now co-ordinate their response and potentially increase the flow of medical supplies and aid into affected areas.

Cases have been confirmed among children and adults in more than a dozen countries and a new form of the virus is spreading.

More than 500 deaths have now been recorded from it, leading to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to call for international help to prevent its spread.

WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: ‘This is something that should concern us all … the potential for further spread beyond Africa and beyond is very worrying.’

This map shows the number of deaths and cases across Africa so far this year (Picture: Getty Images)

Mpox spreads from animals to humans and between people through close contact with someone who is infected – including through sex, skin-to-skin contact and talking or breathing close to another person.

It can cause symptoms such as fever, muscle aches and lesions across the body. If left untreated, Mpox can be deadly.

A milder version of the outbreak was recorded in Europe, Australia, the US and many other countries in 2022 – and was mainly spread through sexual contact.

This second more deadly strain is now endemic in central Africa and is behind the recently discovered variant in DR Congo.

There are three vaccines that exist but only people at risk or who have been in close contact with an infected person are usually able to have it.

Another issue is that there are few vaccine doses available in Africa.

The Africa CDC previously confirmed Mpox has been detected in 13 countries this year, and that more than 96% of all cases and deaths are in Congo.

Cases are up 160% and deaths are up 19% compared with the same period last year.

So far, there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 people have died.

Emma Davis