What's happened
The World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency due to a surge in mpox cases in Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported this year, with a new variant spreading rapidly. The situation poses a significant risk of international spread.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to the South China Morning Post, the WHO's declaration of a global emergency reflects the alarming spread of mpox, particularly the new clade 1b variant, which has been detected outside Africa for the first time. Sky News emphasizes the urgency for vaccination, advising travelers to affected regions to seek immunization. The Independent highlights the disproportionate impact on children, with nearly 70% of cases in the DRC occurring in those under 15. Al Jazeera notes that the outbreak's rapid spread necessitates a coordinated international response to prevent further transmission. These perspectives collectively illustrate the multifaceted challenges posed by the current mpox outbreak and the critical need for global cooperation.
How we got here
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has been endemic in parts of Africa for decades. The current outbreak began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and has seen a significant rise in cases and deaths, particularly among children. The emergence of a new, more contagious variant has raised alarms globally.
Common question
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More on these topics
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Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.3 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area and 20% of its land area.
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The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution, which establishes the agency's governing structure and principles, states its main objective as "the attainment
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The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Kinshasa, Zaire, DR Congo, DRC, the DROC, or simply the Congo, is a country located in Central Africa. It was formerly called Zaire.
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The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. It was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China.
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A Public Health Emergency of International Concern is a formal declaration by the World Health Organization of "an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and t
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Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, known also as Hellas, is a country located in Southeast Europe. Its population is approximately 10.7 million as of 2018; Athens, the nation's capital, is its largest city, followed by Thessaloniki.
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The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is a public health agency of the African Union to support the public health initiatives of member states and strengthen the capacity of their health institutions to deal with disease threats.
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The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is an independent agency of the European Union whose mission is to strengthen Europe's defences against infectious diseases. The Centre was established in 2004 and is located in Solna, Sweden.