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WHO calls emergency meeting to discuss jump in mpox cases from DRCSee also:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called an emergency meeting to discuss a jump in mpox cases spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
"In light of the spread of mpox outside DRC, and the potential for further international spread within and outside Africa, I have decided to convene an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations to advise me on whether the outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern," the WHO chief said in a social media post.
The committee will advise the WHO on the question of whether the outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) - the highest level of alarm that the WHO can sound.
The WHO said the meeting would occur "as soon as possible", but has yet to offer specific dates.
Mpox is largely spread through sexual contact and is especially prevalent among men who have sex with other men.
However, in the Reuters article it was noted that this new strain seems to be spreading with greater ease with normal close contact resulting in infection.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said last week that mpox has been detected in 10 African nations this year, including the DRC, where more than 96 percent of all cases are located.
The agency added that cases are up 160 percent this year, with deaths increasing by 19 percent. The disease also appears especially prevalent among the young, with 70 percent of cases and 85 percent of deaths in the DRC occurring among children under the age of 15.
The WHO declared mpox, also known as monkeypox, a global emergency in 2022 after it spread to more than 70 countries.
"We do not want the world to sit and watch and wait," said Maria Van Kerkhove, who leads WHO's outbreak department. "The time [to act] is now."
Comment: A few days ago Agriland reported: Whether these outbreak are a cause for concern remains to be seen, but, given the other infections threatening livestock, the fragility of the food supply chain, in addition to the establishment's blatant attack on farmers, it seems worth noting: