The World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially declared the Monkeypox virus outbreak as a global health emergency. As cases rise in the African continent, the UN health agency has warned of a potential international crisis if the outbreak were to cross the borders.

The announcement from WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus came after the health body conducted an emergency meet last week to discuss the rapid spread of the virus.

As per WHO, over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported in Africa this year, exceeding the figures from 2023.

As per the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of the cases (96%) have been restricted to one country - the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, cases have started to spread to neighbouring countries.

MPox Virus - Outbreak, Symptoms And Vaccine | FAQs Answered

What Is MPox?

Monkeypox is a viral illness similar to smallpox. The disease is caused by the monkeypox virus and is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal or any other material contaminated by the virus.

What Are The Symptoms For MPox?

Mpox causes mild symptoms such as fever, chills and body aches. However, people with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.

How Does MPox Spread?

In 2022, the Mpox virus was confirmed to have spread via sex. As per CDC, the pox virus can spread through close or intimate contact such as sex, saliva and other forms of skin-to-skin contact. Mpox can also spread through contaminated surfaces and infected animals.

Which Are The 2 Variants Of MPox?

With the global health emergency declared in 2024, two variants of the Mpox virus have been identified. These are clade 1 and clade 1b. The new variant - clade 1b - appears to spread more easily through close contact, particularly among children.

Which Countries Has MPox Spread To?

In Africa, countries that share a border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Rwanda and Burundi have reported cases of Mpox. The virus has also spread to other East African countries, such as Kenya and Uganda. As per WHO, cases were also detected in Central African Republic , C?te d’Ivoire and South Africa. As per Africa CDC, at least 13 countries have been infected.

Is There A Vaccine For MPox?

In 2022, the MPox outbreak was controlled with the use of shutdowns, vaccines and treatments. Along with this, advisories for people to avoi "risky behaviour" were issued. However, the vaccinations are only able in rich, developed Western countries and none in Africa, where the outbreak has impacted lives the most.

As per US-based CDC, JYNNEOS, a 2-dose vaccine, has been developed to protect against mpox and smallpox.