The World Health Organization (WHO) today declared the highest level of alert due to a new variant of the mpox viral disease in Africa. This is reported by the DPA agency, according to which this step has no immediate consequences. Its main goal is to alert authorities around the world to prepare for a possible outbreak of the disease. Already on Tuesday, the health agency of the African Union declared the highest level of threat to public health on the entire continent.
“It’s something that should concern us all… The potential for further spread outside of Africa is very concerning,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. His organization announcementm “state of threat to public health of international importance” gave on the recommendation of independent experts.
As of January 2022, there have been 38,465 cases of mpox in 16 African countries and 1,456 deaths. This year there are 160 percent more cases compared to last year. The most affected is the Congo; in the country, where the disease first appeared in 1970, since the beginning of this year, health professionals have recorded more than 13,700 cases and 450 deaths.
Mpox is a viral disease that is transmitted from animals to humans, but also through close physical contact with a person infected with the virus. It manifests as a rash with blisters, patients also suffer from feverspossibly feeling general exhaustion. The disease, which most often affects children under the age of 15, is fatal for approximately three percent of those infected.
