Mpox is not “another Covid-19”, leading WHO expert says

WHO declared mpox a “public health emergency of international concern” following a surge in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Health & Science . Written by Beatrice Fanucci.

This article is about WHO's declarations about mpox. In the photo, a doctor with a syringe about to administer a vaccine to a patient.
Image: Via Shutterstock - Studio Romantic

According to a leading expert from the World Health Organization (WHO), mpox does not pose similar threats to Covid because authorities are able to control its spread.

Earlier in August, WHO declared mpox a “public health emergency of international concern”. The move followed a surge in mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the virus has already killed over 450 people.

According to health authorities, the outbreak in Congo started with the spread of an endemic strain called clade 1. However, a new version of mpox with a higher death rate, known as clade 1b, appears to be spreading across the nation. The virus has also arrived in Congo’s neighbouring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

This variant is different from clade 2, which was behind the 2022 outbreak that affected several parts of the world, including Europe. While a case of the new variant has been confirmed in Sweden, no such cases have been reported in Ireland or other European countries as of now.

 

When questioned about the possibility of the virus spreading around the world, WHO Europe regional director Dr Hans Kluge said that authorities know how to tackle mpox. “Are we going to go in lockdown in the WHO European region, it’s another Covid-19? The answer is clearly ‘no’,” he said.

“Two years ago, we controlled mpox in Europe thanks to the direct engagement with the most affected communities of men who have sex with men,” Kluge said. “It’s important to note that mpox is not just a ‘gay disease’, though.

“In 2022, mpox showed us it can spread quickly around the world. We can, and must, tackle mpox together – across regions and continents,” Kluge continued. “Will we choose to put the systems in place to control and eliminate mpox globally or will we enter another cycle of panic, then neglect?”

In Ireland, the response to the 2022 mpox outbreak received praise from WHO, as the virus was successfully controlled thanks in part to risk communication and community engagement led by the MPOWER team. Moreover, the vaccination programme rolled out by the HSE ensured that the virus could be tackled in a timely manner.

 

After WHO’s declaration of a global public health emergency, the HSE is considering a new vaccination programme in Ireland. According to reports, the HSE is currently working with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and international partners to “assess the situation and to determine if any additional measures are needed beyond existing guidance that is available”.

According to WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic, the organisation is “not recommending mass vaccination” at present. “We are recommending (the) use of vaccines in outbreak settings for the groups who are most at risk,” Jasarevic said.

 

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that they have a “clear plan” to acquire 10 million doses of the vaccine to tackle the spread of mpox in the countries currently affected. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria are set to start vaccinations from next week.

“It’s important to know that during and since the last mpox outbreak in 2022/23, no vaccines or treatment were made available in Africa,” said MPOWER Programme Manager Adam Shanley. “This kind of blatant health inequity must stop.”

It should also be noted that a conflict between the army and the rebel group called March 23 Movement is currently underway in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The recent hostilities are tied to a decades-long conflict which has its roots in the legacy of Belgian colonial rule, dating back to the 1994 Rwanda genocide.

The current humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo has caused millions of people to be out of reach of medical help or advice. As the conflict has caused a displacement crisis, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced into refugee camps, where conditions are dire and medical facilities almost nonexistent. The situation has led the country to face the worst possible complications when it comes to stopping the mpox outbreak.

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