WHO Declares Mpox Global Public Health Emergency, Second Time In 2 Years

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), the highest level of global health alert, for the second time in two years.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced this after Wednesday’s virtual meeting of the organisation’s emergency committee.

The declaration follows the detection of a more deadly strain of the mpox virus, known as clade Ib, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other African countries.

A PHEIC is declared for “extraordinary events” that pose a significant public health risk through the international spread of disease, requiring a coordinated global response. The mpox outbreak was declared a public health emergency in July 2022, but this status ended in May 2023 as the number of infections declined worldwide.

West Africa Weekly earlier reported that the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) also declared the outbreak a public health emergency of continental security, marking the first such declaration since the agency’s establishment in 2017.

So far this year, over 17,000 mpox cases and more than 500 deaths have been reported in 13 African countries, with the DRC being the most affected, accounting for over 14,000 cases and 96% of confirmed infections reported this month alone.

In response to the outbreak, the Nigerian government recently mandated all inbound travellers to fill out a health declaration form before entering the country. According to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the form is a measure to prevent the spread, monitor the importation of infectious diseases, and control outbreaks, thereby safeguarding the health of all Nigerians.

The form required travellers to provide personal information and details about their travel, health, and contact history for the 21 days before arrival.

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