WHO’s regional response plan requires an initial US$ 15 million to support surveillance, preparedness and response activities, the global body revealed. It also noted that the clade 1b of mpox that emerged last year and is rapidly spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but it is not the only driver of the mpox outbreak. This was the official position of the World Health Organisation (WHO) through its Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
In his opening remarks at the IHR Emergency Committee meeting regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024 on 14 August 2024, Dr Tedros said the clade which appears to be spreading mainly through sexual networks, and its detection in countries neighbouring DRC is especially concerning, and is one of the main reasons for his decision to convene the Emergency Committee.
“In the past month, about 90 cases of clade 1b have been reported in four countries neighbouring the DRC that have not reported mpox before: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda,” Tedros said. “But we are not dealing with one outbreak of one clade – we are dealing with several outbreaks of different clades in different countries with different modes of transmission and different levels of risk.”
He noted that stopping the outbreaks will require a tailored and comprehensive response, with communities, as always, at the centre.
To fund the response, Tedros said the global health body has released US$ 1.45 million from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies, and it also plans to release more in the coming days.
“We are also appealing to donors to fund the rest of the response plan,” Tedros said.
Update on vaccines
So far, two vaccines for mpox are recommended by WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, and are also approved by WHO-listed national regulatory authorities, as well as by individual countries including Nigeria and the DRC. Last week, Tedros triggered the process for Emergency Use Listing for mpox vaccines, which he said will accelerate vaccine access for lower-income countries which have not yet issued their own national regulatory approval.
“Emergency Use Listing also enables partners including Gavi and UNICEF to procure vaccines for distribution,” Tedros said. “We are working with all partners to facilitate equitable access to diagnostics, vaccines, supplies for clinical care and other tools.”
He said he convened the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations to advise him on whether the outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.
“When I declared an end to the previous mpox PHEIC last year, I issued standing recommendations under the IHR, which are due to expire next week. I have decided to extend them for another year to support countries to respond to the chronic risk of mpox,” Tedros told the committee.
If he decides that the current situation represents a public health emergency of international concern, Tedros said he would issue temporary recommendations in accordance with the IHR, on the committee’s advice.
It will be recalled that last year, reported cases increased significantly, and already the number of cases reported so far this year has exceeded last year’s total, with more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths.