Mpox: The Latest Global Health Emergency

Picture Credits: Georgetown University

Mpox has rapidly spread across Africa in a few weeks prompting a globalized effort of containment. It initially made headlines in 2022 when it spread beyond its traditional areas in Africa to other parts of the world, including North America and Europe. However, less than 2 years later, the WHO (World Health Organization) has declared Mpox a global health emergency once again.

What is Mpox?

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the Mpox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. The rebranding from monkeypox to Mpox was made to reduce stigma and simplify communication about the disease.

Mpox was first discovered in laboratory monkeys in 1958, which is where it got its original name. The first human case was reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, cases have been primarily confined to Central and West Africa, although there have been more recent outbreaks in other parts of the world.

Will Mpox Trigger Another Pandemic?

This is the question that is on the mind of many. Truthfully myself as well. As a high-school senior the idea of going back to online school and being trapped in my rooms seems haunting. However, luckily for myself, Mpox will most likely not trigger another pandemic.

Pandemics, including the most recent ones like COVID-19, are typically sparked by airborne viruses that spread quickly, including by people who may not be showing symptoms. Mpox, is spread primarily through close skin-to-skin contact with infected people or their soiled clothes or bedsheets. It often causes visible skin lesions that could make people less likely to be in close contact with others. This mitigates its ability to spread quickly not giving it the same power as COVID-19.

For example, by March 2020, when WHO described COVID-19 as a pandemic, there were more than 126,000 infections and 4,600 deaths — about three months after the coronavirus was first identified. On the other hand it’s taken since 2022 for Mpox cases to hit nearly 100,000 infections globally, with about 200 deaths, according to WHO.

Additionally, there are vaccines and treatments available for Mpox unlike in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

So for anyone who was betting on getting out of early morning wake-ups and homework assignments, I'm sorry to say but a Mpox pandemic is likely not on a horizon.

So Why Did the WHO Declare a Global Health Emergency?

The main reason for the declaration was the regional increase in the number of Mpox cases and the spread to nearby countries in Central and East Africa. WHO considers the upsurge of Mpox to be a PHEIC (Public Health Emergency of International Concern), with potential to spread further across countries in Africa and possibly outside the continent. It was more of a cautionary measure if anything for the large part of society. However that is not to discount the plights Mpox is inducing in Africa. The fight against Mpox in Africa will take a collective effort from all of society. Thus far the Africa CDC has secured donations of more than 200,000 doses for 2024, with more expected in 2025. The European Commission's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) is procuring and donating 175,420 doses of the MVA-BN Mpox vaccine to respond to the outbreak in Africa. Mpox only further amplifies the clear disparities in precision medicine across the globe. The possible next steps to take should be focused on bridging the gap between access and education of modern medicine in under-resourced countries to stop diseases such as Mpox before they even have the chance to spread.