While the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox a “global emergency,” experts say the risk of a pandemic is low if the international community uses the tools it has to prevent the further spread of the virus in Africa.
With outbreaks of mpox in Congo and across Africa, the WHO has urged immediate action to halt the virus’s spread, AP said.
Sweden on Thursday reported its first case of a new mpox variant that had previously only been seen in Africa. A person who had travelled to a part of Africa with a major outbreak of “mpox clade I,” who had sought care in Stockholm, was diagnosed with mpox caused by that variant, according to Sweden’s Public Health Agency. “It is the first case caused by clade I to be diagnosed outside the African continent,” the agency stated.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, differs from airborne viruses like COVID-19 because it spreads mainly through close skin-to-skin contact or contaminated items such as bedding or clothes.
Its mode of transmission, coupled with the visible skin lesions it often causes, reduces the likelihood of widespread transmission.
To stay safe, experts recommend avoiding close contact with infected individuals, not sharing their utensils, clothing, or bedsheets, and maintaining good hygiene practices.
Europe’s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control noted that more cases imported from Africa are expected, but local outbreaks in Europe are unlikely. In countries without ongoing Mpox outbreaks, scientists agree that the risk to the general population remains low.
In contrast to the coronavirus, mpox spreads more slowly. COVID-19 cases, for example, surged rapidly after its initial identification in China, with cases jumping from hundreds to thousands within only weeks.
For mpox, however, it has taken two years since 2022 to reach nearly 100,000 cases globally, with around 200 deaths, according to WHO.
Vaccines and treatments for mpox are available, in contrast to the situation with COVID-19, where there were no vaccines or antivirals initially.
Dr. Chris Beyrer, director of Duke University’s Global Health Institute, emphasized that the world already has the necessary tools to stop mpox. It just needs to use them.
How soon the current mpox outbreaks can be controlled is uncertain, however, and depends upon a number of factors.
The 2022 outbreak across more than 70 countries was slowed, thanks in part to vaccination programs and treatment availability in wealthy nations.
Currently, most mpox cases are concentrated in Africa, with 96% of cases and deaths having occurred in Congo.
Despite Congo’s request for four million vaccines, the country has yet to receive any, highlighting the disparity in vaccine distribution.
Dr. Beyrer stressed the global importance of investing in Africa now to contain the outbreak. He said the world is in a “good position” to prevent a pandemic if efforts are prioritized in Africa.