Mpox outbreak: Authorities across the world are on high alert as cases of Monkeypox (Mpox), which was declared a global health emergency last week, continue to rise globally. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the epicentre of the current mpox outbreak that began in January last year and has since claimed hundreds of lives.
There have been around 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths, mainly among children, in Congo since the current outbreak began in January 2023. The virus has also spread to other countries like Pakistan and Sweden, intensifying fears that the world may see a repeat of the COVID-19 pandemic that engulfed the world in 2020 and halted global business.
In India, the central government has directed airport, ports and border authorities to remain vigilant as the Mpox outbreak spreads, according to sources. Three central hospitals- Safdarjung, RML and Lady Hardinge - are preparing for isolation like other facilities in case any infected person is found. AIIMS Delhi has issued a protocol for handling patients with suspected mpox infections.
What is Mpox?
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that causes fevers, headaches, and muscle aches, as well as painful boils on the skin. It's spread from person to person through close, skin-to-skin contact. A severe strain of the mpox virus, previously causing panic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is now spreading rapidly through Kenya and several other African nations, prompting serious concern among health authorities.
Mpox is caused by the mpox virus, which is part of the Orthopoxvirus genus, the same family as the smallpox virus. The virus is zoonotic, meaning it is transmitted from animals to humans. In Africa, it is primarily spread through contact with infected animals such as rodents and primates. Human-to-human transmission can also occur through close contact with infected individuals or contaminated materials.
One case of the mpox virus has been detected in Pakistan of the clade 2 variety, the country's Ministry of Health said on Monday, adding that no cases of the new clade 1b strain of the disease have been diagnosed. A case of the variant was confirmed last week in Sweden and linked to a growing outbreak in Africa, the first sign of its spread outside the continent.
Is it like COVID-19?
Despite the ongoing fears, a WHO official stressed on Tuesday that mpox, regardless of whether it is the new or old strain, is not the new COVID, as authorities know how to control its spread. "We can and must tackle mpox together," said Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, in a UN media briefing.
"So will we choose to put the systems in place to control and eliminate mpox globally? Or we will enter another cycle of panic and neglect? How we respond now and in the years to come will prove a critical test for Europe and the world," he added. About 100 new cases of the clade 2 mpox strain are now being reported in the European region every month, Kluge added.
Mpox transmits through close physical contact, including sexual contact, but unlike previous global pandemics such as COVID-19 there is no evidence it spreads easily through the air. However, WHO officials have stressed that health authorities to be alert and flexible in cases of new and more transmissible cases.
(with agency inputs)
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