The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Mpox a public health emergency of international concern due to a rising number of cases of the viral disease in African countries.
In a statement on Wednesday, August 14, by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "The emergence of a new clade of Mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying. On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”
At the same time, WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti noted that governments are working in close collaboration to help reinforce measures to cur Mpox.
“Significant efforts are already underway in close collaboration with communities and governments, with our country teams working on the frontlines to help reinforce measures to curb mpox. With the growing spread of the virus, we’re scaling up further through coordinated international action to support countries bring the outbreaks to an end," Moeti stated.
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Today, the Emergency Committee on #mpox met and advised me that in its view, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice.@WHO is on the ground, working with the affected countries, and others at risk, through our…
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) August 14, 2024
More than 17,000 suspected mpox cases and 517 deaths have been reported on the African continent so far this year.
In Kenya, only one case of Mpox was announced by Health PS Mary Muthoni and the patient has since recovered with no other case being reported.
“Skin lesion samples were taken. Results from the National Public Health Laboratories detected Mpox on 29th July 2024.
“This was validated by other reference laboratories in the national laboratory network. The patient has recovered,” a statement by the Ministry of Health read.
The ministry said it is tracing all his close contacts at his workplace, at the hospital where he was admitted, and along his travel routes.
“However, due to the infectiousness of Mpox and as per international guidelines for mpox response, the Ministry of Health and the County Health Department of Taita Taveta began identifying all persons that had been in close contact with the patient,” MoH stated.
