UN to assess whether Africa’s mpox outbreak is a global emergency.

This image provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases shows a colorized transmission electron micrograph of monkeypox particles (red) found within an infected cell (blue), cultured in the laboratory that was captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization’s head announced plans to assemble an expert panel to evaluate whether the escalating spread of the mpox virus in Africa should be classified as a global emergency.

During a press briefing in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that, due to the rising number of mpox cases outside Congo, he has decided to seek the advice of independent experts as soon as possible.

Recently, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that mpox, also known as monkeypox, has been identified in 10 African countries this year, with Congo accounting for over 96% of the cases and deaths. Compared to the same period last year, cases have surged by 160% and deaths have increased by 19%.

Africa CDC officials noted that nearly 70% of the cases in Congo involve children under 15, who also represent 85% of the fatalities.

Mpox was reported last week in Burundi and Rwanda for the first time while other countries including Kenya and the Central African Republic also identified cases.

WHO’s Tedros said the agency has released $1 million from its emergency fund to support the response to mpox, also known as monkeypox.