World Health Organization issues highest level of global alert

For several weeks, cases of MPOX, formerly called monkeypox, have been increasing on the African continent. A new strain of the virus, more deadly and more transmissible than the previous ones, is raising fears of a spread of the disease.

Published on 08/14/2024 7:38 p.m. Updated on 08/14/2024 8:01 p.m.

Reading time: 1 min Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Geneva (Switzerland), May 27, 2024. (FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, August 14, triggered its highest level of global alert due to the outbreak of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, which is raging on the African continent, announced its Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.The emergency committee met and advised me that in their opinion the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted this advice.”he said at a news conference. This qualification is the highest alert the organization can trigger.

With this alert, the WHO “commits, in the days and weeks ahead, to coordinating the global response, working closely with each of the affected countries and leveraging its presence on the ground.”added Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. And this, “to prevent transmission, treat infected people and save lives”he added. “This is a situation that should concern us all.”he stressed.

The monkeypox virus was first discovered in humans in 1970, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Over the years, several variants have been observed. In 2022, a global epidemic, carried by the clade 2 subtype, spread to around 100 countries where the disease was not endemic. Faced with this outbreak of cases, the WHO declared maximum alert in July 2022, then lifted it less than a year later, in May 2023. This epidemic outbreak affected around 100 countries, with nearly 100,000 cases and 140 deaths recorded in total by the WHO between 2022 and the end of 2023.

The strain that WHO is now monitoring, called clade 1b, was discovered in the DRC in September 2023. It is more deadly and more transmissible than previous strains. This variant causes rashes all over the body, while previous strains were characterized by localized rashes and lesions on the mouth, face or genitals.