Mpox Declared a Global Health Emergency: What to Know and How to Prevent It
On August 14, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern amid…
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On August 14, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox—formerly known as monkeypox—a Public Health Emergency of International Concern following a severe outbreak in several African countries, particularly in the Central and Eastern Africa regions.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, said at a press briefing:
“The Mpox outbreak in Africa is a very serious concern. We are seeing a trend in which the disease could spread to areas outside Africa, so an urgent international response is needed to control the outbreak and save lives.”
The countries hardest hit by this outbreak include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Kenya, and Rwanda, but the most critical situation is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has reported more than 13,700 cases and 450 deaths since the beginning of 2024.
Mpox is a viral infection that can be transmitted from animals to humans and from person to person. Human-to-human transmission occurs through close contact with an infected person, including sexual contact, direct skin-to-skin contact, and close-range respiratory contact. Common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and a rash or lesions on the body. Without prompt treatment, it can lead to severe complications and death.
At present, Mpox has two main strains:
- Clade 1: The more severe strain, with a mortality rate as high as 10%, which has become endemic in Central Africa. This virus mutated in September 2023, giving rise to a sub-strain called Clade 1b that has since spread rapidly across Africa.
- Clade 2: The less severe strain, which caused the global outbreak in 2022 that led WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). It affected Europe, Australia, the United States, and other regions, with more than 87,000 reported cases and 140 deaths, most transmitted through sexual contact.
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On August 13, 2024, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared Mpox a public health emergency for the African continent, aiming to spur cooperation among the continent's countries in responding to the outbreak. These measures include stepping up surveillance.
Source: BBC, Thairath
Verified references
Links and relevance to the article’s main topic were reviewed on 13 August 2026. Each source supports only the scope stated in the original document and does not replace personalised medical, legal, or service advice.
- WHO: Mpox fact sheet Accessed 13 August 2026
- CDC: About Mpox Accessed 13 August 2026
