WHO’s Latest Strategy Promises To End Outbreak
As an mpox outbreak continues to spread in Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a six-month initiative to control and eventually halt its progress. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed optimism about the containment of the outbreak, emphasizing the need for a unified and coordinated response involving international agencies, national and local partners, civil society, researchers, and manufacturers.
The new strategy focuses on increasing staffing levels in affected regions and enhancing efforts in surveillance, prevention, and response. To support these activities, WHO anticipates needing $135 million to improve vaccine access, particularly in the most severely impacted African countries.
This initiative comes on the heels of the WHO’s declaration earlier this month of a global health emergency due to the outbreak. Vaccine supplies are on their way, with the first doses from the United States expected to arrive soon in the Congo, and additional doses being offered by Germany and Japan. The Congo has reported the majority of cases and requires 3 million doses to make significant progress against the virus. Recently, the Congo noted over 1,000 new cases in the past week alone.
The outbreak has affected 12 African countries, with over 21,300 confirmed and suspected cases and 590 deaths reported, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A case of mpox was also reported outside Africa for the first time in Sweden earlier this month. In response, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning to healthcare providers to be alert for this new strain in individuals who have recently traveled to Congo or its neighboring countries. However, the CDC considers the risk of this strain spreading to the U.S. to be very low due to limited travel connections.
This marks the second global health emergency designation for mpox by the WHO in three years. The previous outbreak, which began in Africa, affected nearly 100,000 people worldwide and resulted in about 200 deaths. The current strain appears to have a higher fatality rate, with approximately 3% of those infected dying compared to 0.2% in the 2022 outbreak. Mpox spreads through close contact, including sexual activity, and is characterized by a painful rash, fever, respiratory symptoms, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes. The Jynneos vaccine is available to protect at-risk individuals. Vaccination efforts and behavioral changes have significantly reduced U.S. cases from over 30,000 in 2022 to 1,700 in 2023. However, the virus has mutated, making it more transmissible. Dr. Nicole Lurie from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations noted the importance of focused attention and action to combat the outbreak effectively.
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