MPOX ‘sublineage 1b’ variant spreads in Congo
90 cases reported in neighboring countries including Burundi and Kenya
Africa CDC has already declared a public health emergency,
Medical staff in the Democratic Republic of Congo treat a child infected with MPOX (monkeypox) in Goma, North Kivu province, eastern Congo, on the 19th of last month. Goma=Reuters,
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, ‘Amid signs of a resurgence of MPOX (monkeypox) across Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated urgent discussions on whether to declare the highest level of health alert.’,
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, “On the 14th, local time, WHO announced that the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee met that day. The committee is tasked with assessing the need to declare a ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern’ (PHEIC) and reporting to WHO within days. If a PHEIC is declared, WHO will vigorously push for international health measures.”,
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, “These emergency measures are in response to the rapid spread of the MPOX virus sublineage ‘Clade 1b’ centered around the Democratic Republic of Congo. This variant virus showed signs of spread since September of last year, with confirmed cases reaching 14,479 and 455 deaths reported in Congo alone this year. Last month, at least 90 cases were reported in four African neighboring countries including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had already declared a public health emergency.”,
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, ‘WHO is expected to decide on whether to declare a PHEIC within days through the Emergency Committee meeting held on this day. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized, “The detection of this disease (MPOX sublineage 1b) in neighboring countries of Congo is concerning,” and stressed the need for tailored and comprehensive support within the community.’,
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, ‘Originally found in Central and West Africa, MPOX spread worldwide starting from May 2022. In response, WHO declared a PHEIC related to MPOX in July 2022 but lifted it in May last year as the spread subsided. Symptoms of MPOX include vesicular rash, acute fever, headache, and muscle pain.’,
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