The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa CDC have declared a global health emergency over the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A dangerous new strain that emerged last year has been spreading rapidly through sexual and close personal contact, with more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths reported in 13 African countries. The WHO is seeking $15 million to support Africa’s mpox response, with a pledge to allocate more funding in the coming days.
The European Commission is responding to the crisis by sending over 175,000 mpox vaccines to the Africa CDC, with Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic pledging an additional 40,000 shots. The Europe-Africa collaboration also aims to expand access to mpox testing and sequencing in the region.
Due to the urgency of the situation, the WHO has called on other countries and international groups to donate shots from their own stockpiles to address the shortfall. While vaccinations are set to begin in the coming weeks, logistical hurdles such as limited authorisation for mpox shots in African countries and insufficient cold-chain storage remain challenges to overcome.
This is the second time in two years that mpox has posed a global health threat, with the previous outbreak in 2022-2023 mainly affecting gay and bisexual men worldwide. The current emergency focuses on the deadly Clade I viruses in Africa, sparking international concern and calls for coordinated responses to contain the spread of the disease.
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