The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared this week that the increasing spread of mpox across the continent is a health emergency, warning the virus might ultimately spill across international borders.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization is convening its own expert meeting to consider making a similar emergency declaration over mpox. The UN health agency said there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths this year, which already exceed last year’s figures.
So far, more than 96 per cent of all cases and deaths are in a single country — Congo. Scientists are concerned by the spread of a new version of the disease there that might be more easily transmitted among people.
Here’s a look at what we know about mpox, and what might be done to contain it:
What is mpox?
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, was first identified by scientists in 1958 when there were outbreaks of a “pox-like” disease in monkeys. Until recently, most human cases were seen in people in central and west Africa who had close contact with infected animals. (Caribbean Loop)
