WHO to Reassess Global Status of Mpox Outbreak

The World Health Organization will hold a meeting next week to decide if mpox remains a global health crisis. The disease, prevalent in Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has prompted WHO's highest alert level due to a new virus variant. More than 46,000 cases have been confirmed.

The World Health Organization plans to convene its Emergency Committee next week to assess whether mpox should still be considered a global health crisis, as stated in a recent announcement. This assessment comes in response to the continued spread of the disease across Africa and the emergence of a new virus variant.

In August, mpox was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the United Nations health body, its most serious alert level. This decision followed the identification and spread of a new variant, clade Ib, notably in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Uganda, where the disease has had significant impact.

With 46,794 confirmed and suspected cases and 1,081 deaths reported in Africa up to November 3, the situation remains dire. Despite the disease's typically mild nature, it can be fatal in rare instances. Flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions characterize mpox, prompting initial vaccine doses distribution to nine heavily affected African nations this month.

(With inputs from agencies.)