Monkeypox virus outbreak: WHO declares outbreak a public health ...
Health ministers are on high alert for UK cases of new mpox strain after declaration of a global health emergency
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A public health emergency has been declared by the World Health Organisation over a new outbreak of mpox in several African nations, with at least three cases now reported outside of the continent.
Formerly known as monkeypox, the infection has been on the rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which accounts for 96 per cent of all cases in Africa.
More than 17,000 cases and 571 deaths have now been confirmed across the continent so far this year, with the WHO calling the outbreak an “international concern”.
The public health emergency was declared by the group’s director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The outbreak comes as a new strain, named clade 1, is said to be spreading mainly through sexual networks. The WHO says it has been identified in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda – all countries that have never reported cases of mpox before.
UK health officials are preparing for any potential cases of a new strain of mpox after the WHO declared outbreaks of the virus in Africa a global emergency.
A World Health Organization (WHO) official has stressed that mpox is not the new COVID.
The clarification comes as authorities say they know how to control its spread regardless of whether it is the new or old strain.
“We can and must tackle mpox together,” said Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, in a media briefing.
“So will we choose to put the systems in place to control and eliminate mpox globally? Or we will enter another cycle of panic and neglect? How we respond now and in the years to come will prove a critical test for Europe and the world,” he added.
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Salma Ouaguira20 August 2024 12:00
Jersey’s health chiefs have claimed there is “no significant cause for concern” for mpox in the island after the first case was confirmed in Sweden.
Dr Rajesh Hembrom, island clinical lead and consultant for integrated sexual health, HIV and viral hepatitis, said: “There is no significant cause for concern at this stage but the situation is being monitored closely.
“Jersey currently has adequate stocks of the vaccine, and we are awaiting further guidance from the UK Health Security Agency. We expect this in the coming days.”
At least 500 people have died during the initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo so far.
Salma Ouaguira20 August 2024 11:10
Salma Ouaguira20 August 2024 10:20
Mpox can cause a range of symptoms with some people experiencing less severe signs and others developing more serious illness.
According to the World Health Organisation, common symptoms include a rash which may last for two to four weeks.
Some adults can experience fever, headache, muscle aches, back, pain, low energy and swollen glands.
Patients can develop lymph nodes that look like blisters or sores and can appear in the face, palms of th hands, soles of the feet, groin and genital areas.
Severe mpox cases include larger lesions and bacterial infections of the skin, blood and lungs.
Salma Ouaguira20 August 2024 09:30
Dr Jonas Albarnaz, a research fellow specialising in pox viruses at the Pirbright Institute, said the case of clade 1b in Sweden “is concerning for two main reasons”.
“First, this is the first clade 1 mpox virus case outside Africa. This indicates that the extent of the international spread of clade 1 outbreak in DRC might be larger than we knew yesterday.
“And second, clade 1 mpox virus is associated with a more severe disease and higher mortality rates than the clade 2 virus responsible for the international mpox outbreak in 2022.”
Michael Marks, a professor of medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), said: “It’s clear that this is the largest outbreak of mpox reported from the region.
“It’s also the largest of the clade 1 mpox virus, which has traditionally been associated with a higher case fatality rate than clade 2, which caused the large global outbreak in 2022.”
Salma Ouaguira20 August 2024 08:40
The new strain of mpox is known as clade 1b and it emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) last year, according to WHO.
The disease is now rapidly spreading to neighbouring countries in Africa, mainly through sexual networks, but one case has now been confirmed in Europe.
Health experts recommend to get vaccinated if you are at high risk and avoid contact with people who are affected.
To prevent the infection from spreading it is advised to wash your hands frequently and wear a face mask in crowded and indoor spaces.
Salma Ouaguira20 August 2024 08:10
The Philippines has detected its first case of mpox since the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued its highest alert over the virus last week.
It is the first reported case since December last year, Manila’s health department said on Monday, adding that it was awaiting test results beforebeing able to determine the strain.
The patient has been identified as a 33-year-old Filipino male with no travel history outside the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) said. “We are awaiting sequencing results and will update once available,” spokesperson Albert Domingo said.
The man’s symptoms started more than a week ago with fever, which was followed four days later by a “distinct rash on the face, back, nape, trunk, groin, as well as palms and soles”, the Philippine DOH said in a statement.
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Salma Ouaguira20 August 2024 07:50
Experts said the new strain is “associated with a more severe disease and higher mortality rates” than the one that caused the global mpox outbreak in 2022.
Swedish health officials announced that there has been one confirmed case of clade 1b on Thursday.
The country’s public health agency said a patient sought healthcare in Stockholm and is understood to have been infected during a visit to Africa.
Salma Ouaguira20 August 2024 07:38
Chief medical officer professor Chris Whitty has met with government ministers to assess UK’s readiness for a potential outbreak of the new mpox variant.
The WHO has confirmed more than 17,000 mpox cases and 571 deaths in Africa this year after the new clade 1b variant emerged.
Pat McFadden, the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, met with ministers from the Department for Health, Foreign Office and the UK’s chief medical officer Mr Whitty.
They discussed ways to “ensure sufficient plans are in place to deal with any potential cases”, Downing Street said.
Salma Ouaguira20 August 2024 07:35
Mpox was first detected in humans in the DRC in 1970 and is considered endemic to countries in Central and West Africa.
However, WHO said the recent surge of cases in DRC and its spread to neighbouring countries constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005) on Wednesday.
According to WHO, mpox has been reported in DRC for more than 10 years, with the number of cases increasing steadily over the period.
So far in 2024, there have been more than 15,600 cases of mpox and 537 deaths, which the WHO said exceeds last year’s total.
There have also been 100 lab-confirmed cases of clade 1b in four countries neighbouring the DRC that have not reported mpox before: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
Salma Ouaguira20 August 2024 07:21
