World Health Org declares mpox a ‘global health emergency’

The World Health Organization has declared the spread of mpox in Africa a “global health emergency” Wednesday following an emergency meeting to discuss the outbreak.

The WHO’s declaration comes a day after Africa’s own top health body declared the virus’ rapid spread on the continent an emergency. While mpox is considered endemic in some African countries, a particularly deadly strain of the virus previously identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo has since been identified elsewhere and case numbers are increasing rapidly.

The biggest obstacle to preventing mpox’s spread is the lack of vaccines: One African public health body said it has just 200,000 of the more than 10 million it needs.