Mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox), regardless of the virus strain, is not expected to cause a pandemic like COVID-19, nor is a general lockdown anticipated. Authorities “know how to contain it,” according to Dr. Hans Kluge, the WHO Regional Director for Europe.
Mpox is an infectious disease that causes skin rashes and symptoms similar to the flu. It spreads through prolonged skin-to-skin contact and is generally mild, though it can sometimes be fatal.
This year, more than 500 people have died in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and cases have been reported in 13 African countries.
On August 14, the WHO declared a global health emergency (its highest alert level) as the new mpox virus strain, Clade Ib, spreads more quickly and easily.
Isolated cases have also been reported outside Africa. Additionally, around 100 new cases of the Clade II strain, which caused an outbreak in 2022, are reported monthly in Europe. The WHO recommends that individuals more exposed or traveling to affected areas in Africa consider vaccination but does not advise using masks.
The Director-General of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has urged the international community not to impose travel bans on African countries.
