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MPox Triggers Global Red Alert, Another Pandemic In Sight?

Monekypox virus

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By Akerele Christabel.

August 19, 2024
3:15 pm
Los Angeles, CA

WHO declares Global Emergency Over Outbreaks In DR Congo and Sweden The world has only had four years respite from the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, another deadly virus has sent waves of panic through the globe. A new variant of MPox (Monkey Pox), clade Ib, has been detected in Sweden and Pakistan after originating from Africa. This strain spreads primarily through household contacts and has a higher fatality rate compared to a previously noted variants. Rising number of cases and fatalities have put authorities are on high alert, with rumours of another pandemic flying. Mpox share the same viral family with small pox. It typically causes blisters or sores that may last for 2 to 4 weeks. The blisters often manifest in the face, palms, soles of the feet, groin,

WHO declares Global Emergency Over Outbreaks In DR Congo and Sweden

The world has only had four years respite from the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, another deadly virus has sent waves of panic through the globe. A new variant of MPox (Monkey Pox), clade Ib, has been detected in Sweden and Pakistan after originating from Africa. This strain spreads primarily through household contacts and has a higher fatality rate compared to a previously noted variants. Rising number of cases and fatalities have put authorities are on high alert, with rumours of another pandemic flying.

Mpox share the same viral family with small pox. It typically causes blisters or sores that may last for 2 to 4 weeks. The blisters often manifest in the face, palms, soles of the feet, groin, genital or anal regions, mouth, throat and on the eyes.
The symptoms mostly go away on their own within a few weeks with medicines to address pain or fever. But in some people, mpox can lead to complications and even death.

Being face-to-face (talking or breathing close enough for droplets to carry) with an infected person or having skin-to-skin contact, including sex and mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-skin contact are among the risk factors.

The disease can also spread to people from infected animals such as some species of monkeys and rodents through bites or scratches. Skinning such animals or eating their meat if it’s not cooked thoroughly also exposes one to the disease. People with low or compromised immunity are at a higher risk of developing severe Mpox or dying.

WHO Declares Global Emergency

The Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, determined that based on the resurgence of smallpox (mpox) in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in a growing number of African countries, he declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on August 14. (Photo: guadalajaradigital)

The World Health Organization has declared the ongoing outbreaks of Mpox in DR Congo and other parts of Africa to be a global emergency. This underscores the need for urgent actions to curb the virus’ rampage.

Sweden was one of the first European nations to announce that it had found a new strain of Africa-native Mpox in a traveler. Following this, other European health authorities have warned their governments of the possibility of more imported cases.

Europe’s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said that more imported cases of mpox from Africa were “highly likely,” but the chances of local outbreaks in Europe were very low.

On Friday, 16th August, 2024, Pakistan became the second country outside Africa to report a positive case. The infected individual had returned from a Gulf country. Pakistani health authorities said tests were underway to determine the variant involved.

Mpox: A Pandemic In The Making?

World Health Organization image in search of the next global pathogen. Imagine scientists and public health officials as individuals searching for the “lost keys” (the next pandemic pathogen). The area illuminated by the “streetlight” represents the Priority Pathogens, well-studied pathogens with readily accessible data that indicate their risk of causing a PHEIC or a pandemic. We can expand the lighted area a bit by researching the Prototype Pathogens and using them as pathfinders within Families to expand our knowledge and understanding. Neglecting the “Dark Areas” is not advisable given the uncertainty about which pathogen will indeed cause the next PHEIC or pandemic. The “Dark Areas” in this metaphor include many regions, particularly in resource-scarce settings with high biodiversity, which are still under-monitored and under-studied. These areas might harbour novel pathogens, but the lack of infrastructure and resources makes it difficult to conduct comprehensive research. The focus on known pathogens can lead to a neglect of emerging or re-emerging pathogens that have not yet caused significant outbreaks but have the potential to do so. (Photo: WHO)

Health experts say it is highly unlikely for Mpox to become a full-fledged pandemic. Pandemics like swine flu and COVID-19 are known to be deployed by airborne viruses that spread fast, including by people who may not show any symptoms of the virus.

On the other hand, Mpox is primarily spread through close skin contact with infected individuals or their dirty clothes and bedsheets. Also, it causes obvious skin lesions that repulses physical contact.

Again, Mpox is believed to spread very slowly, when compared to the coronavirus. Shortly after the coronavirus was identified in China, the number of cases jumped skyrocketed, going from several hundred to several thousand. Notably, in a single week in January, the case count increased more than tenfold.

By March 2020, when WHO described COVID-19 as a pandemic, there were more than 126,000 infections and 4,600 deaths — about three months after the coronavirus was first identified.

In contrast, according to WHO, it took since 2022 for Mpox cases to hit nearly 100,000 global infections and recording about 200 deaths.

Also, there are vaccines and treatments available for Mpox unlike in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, scientists believe the risk to the general population in countries without ongoing Mpox outbreaks is low.

“We have what we need to stop Mpox,” said Dr. Chris Beyrer, director of Duke University’s Global Health Institute. “This is not the same situation we faced during COVID when there was no vaccine and no antivirals.”

The July 2022 Mpox outbreak infected nearly 100,000 people. Interestingly, a considerable number of cases involved gay or bisexual men. It spread across 116 countries and killed about 200 people. The 2022 mpox outbreak in more than 70 countries was slowed within months, thanks largely to vaccination programs and drugs being made available to at-risk populations in rich countries.

However, the current outbreak which began in January 2023 has recorded 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths, with children being the most affected. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, over 15,000 cases and 548 deaths occured in 2024. The rise in cases and fatalities was followed by the spread of the disease to other African neighbours like Burundi, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.

At the moment, the majority of mpox cases are in Africa. A whooping 96% of those cases and deaths are in Congo, one of the world’s poorest countries whose health system has mostly collapsed from the strain of malnutrition, cholera and measles. Although Congolese officials requested 4 million vaccines from donors, it has yet to receive any.

Chris Beyrer of Duke University said it was in the world’s interest to invest now in squashing the outbreaks in Africa.

“We are actually in a good place to get control of this pandemic, but we have to make the decision to prioritize Africa,” he said.

To stay safe, experts advise avoiding close physical contact with someone who has lesions resembling mpox, not sharing their utensils, clothing or bedsheets and maintaining good hygiene like regular hand-washing.