The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on Wednesday due to a rapid increase in mpox cases in more than a dozen African countries. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is experiencing the most severe outbreak, with more than 15,600 confirmed cases and 537 deaths reported by the UN agency. This surpasses the lethality of the 2022 mpox outbreak, which previously led to a PHEIC declaration.
What you need to know about Mpox
Previously known as monkeypox, the virus was renamed in 2022 following concerns raised by health authorities.
Key points
- For the second time in three years, Mpox has been declared a global health emergency.
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the epicenter of the current outbreak, with more than 15,600 cases and more deaths than in the 2022 outbreak.
- WHO urges measures to contain spread of virus in Africa.
