WHO declares Mpox global health emergency

The World Health Organization has declared the Mpox outbreak in Africa a public health emergency of international concern, with scientists worried about the rapid spread of a new variant
    

WHAT IS MPOX?

Highly contagious disease – formerly called monkeypox – transmitted through close contact, such as sex, skin-to-skin contact and close breathing
 
Causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions, and can be fatal, with four in 100 cases leading to death
 
Africa CDC says it needs 10 million vaccines, but only 200,000 are available
 

MPOX CASES
 
Total of 14,250 cases and 456 deaths reported between start of 2024 and end of July – 160% increase in infections compared with same period in 2023

D.R. Congo alone accounts for 96.3% of all cases and 97% of all deaths

Outbreak in Congo began with spread of endemic strain, known as Clade 1. But new variant, Clade 1b, appears to spread more easily

Nigeria 
Chad 
Ghana
C.A.R.
Liberia 
Cameroon
Congo
D.R. Congo
Rwanda 
Burundi
South Africa

Cases
<10 
10-100 
100-200 
200-500 
>500
   

Sources: Reuters, BBC, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Pictures: Newscom, NICD
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