London: The ongoing outbreaks of mpox in Congo and elsewhere in Africa have been declared to be a global emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) requiring urgent action to curb the virus’ transmission.
Sweden has confirmed the first case of a new mpox variant, previously confined to Africa, in a traveler. Meanwhile, health authorities across Europe have cautioned that additional imported cases are probable.
Here’s a look at mpox and how likely it is to spread further:
Is Mpox Going To Trigger Another Pandemic?
It appears quite improbable. Pandemics, such as the recent swine flu and COVID-19, are usually caused by airborne viruses that propagate swiftly, even through asymptomatic individuals.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, primarily transmits through direct skin-to-skin contact with those infected or through contact with contaminated clothing or linens. The virus often results in conspicuous skin lesions, which may deter close interactions.
For safety, it is recommended to avoid direct physical contact with individuals presenting mpox-like lesions, refrain from sharing personal items like utensils, garments, or bedding, and practice stringent hygiene, including frequent handwashing.
On Friday, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control announced that more imported cases of mpox from Africa are “highly likely,” yet the probability of local outbreaks in Europe remains very low. Scientists maintain that the risk to the general population in countries without current mpox outbreaks is minimal.
How Different Is Mpox From COVID-19?
Mpox spreads much more slowly compared to the coronavirus. Shortly after the coronavirus emerged in China, the case numbers surged exponentially from a few hundred to several thousand; within a single week in January, the number of cases increased by more than ten times.
By March 2020, when the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic, there were over 126,000 infections and 4,600 deaths, approximately three months since the virus was initially detected. In contrast, since 2022, it has taken mpox nearly the same time to reach almost 100,000 infections worldwide, with around 200 deaths, as per WHO.
Unlike the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are now vaccines and treatments available for mpox.
“We have what we need to stop mpox,” said Dr. Chris Beyrer, director of Duke University’s Global Health Institute. “This is not the same situation we faced during COVID when there was no vaccine and no antivirals.”
How Quickly Will These Mpox Outbreaks Be Stopped?
The 2022 mpox outbreak, which affected over 70 countries, was quickly contained within a few months, primarily due to the implementation of vaccination programs and the availability of medications for at-risk groups in affluent nations. Currently, the bulk of mpox cases are concentrated in Africa, with Congo accounting for 96% of these cases and fatalities. Congo, one of the poorest countries globally, has a health system that is largely failing due to the pressures of malnutrition, cholera, and measles. Despite Congolese officials having requested 4 million vaccines from international donors, none have been received so far.
Despite WHO declaring mpox a global emergency in 2022, Africa got barely any vaccines or treatments. Beyrer of Duke University said it was in the world’s interest to invest now in squashing the outbreaks in Africa.
“We are actually in a good place to get control of this pandemic, but we have to make the decision to prioritize Africa,” he said.
(With AP inputs)
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