In mid-August, the World Health
Organization declared the highest level of alarm due to mpox
outbreaks in a number of African countries and a new,
potentially more dangerous variant. While the risk in Europe is
low according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and
Control, calls for solidarity and vaccine sharing emerge.
On August 13, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and
Prevention (Africa CDC) declared mpox - formerly monkeypox - to
be a continent-wide public health emergency and asked for
international help in achieving its target of providing two
million vaccines
The World Health Organization (WHO) one day later declared the
highest level of alarm due to the mpox outbreaks in Africa and a
potentially more contagious new variant but advised against
panic following the first imported case in Europe.
The virus causes a rash, fever, and muscle pain. Symptoms are
mainly treated by medication to prevent fever, pain or allergic
reaction. There are two vaccines, but they are in short supply
in Africa.
Mpox was first detected in humans in 1970, in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) and is considered endemic to countries
in central and west Africa.
New variant detected beyond Africa but mpox "not the new COVID"
A new clade - or variant - has been circulating in the DRC
since late last year.
According to the WHO, more than 18,000 suspected cases with 575
deaths have been registered in the country this year.
The viral illness has spread to other African countries in
recent weeks, including Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda which
count more than 200 confirmed infections with the new variant
Ib. Cases of the variant have also been registered in people in
Sweden and Thailand who had travelled to Africa.
Experts believe the new variant (called clade I) is likely more
contagious than previous strains and can cause a more severe
infection. However, mpox is generally not easily transmitted,
with direct contact needed for spread.
Briefing journalists on August 20, the WHO's regional director
for Europe Hans Kluge said that the virus has been circulating
in the region in an earlier, less aggressive variant, known as
clade II, since the previous outbreak in 2022. According to
Kluge, around 100 cases of this variant are currently occurring
per month in Europe and "mpox isn't the new COVID".
"We know quite a lot about clade II already," Kluge said, adding
that "we still have to learn more about clade I", causing the
epidemic in Central and East Africa.
In July 2022, the WHO announced a first "Public Health Emergency
of International Concern" (PHEIC) related to mpox which was
declared over in May 2023. During the 2022-2023 outbreak, over
22,000 cases of mpox were reported in Europe.
On Monday, the WHO estimated that it will need 135 million US
Dollars over the next six months to combat mpox, not including
the cost of two million vaccine doses, according to a planning
paper from the UN health agency. The money is to chiefly be
invested in diagnostic tests and research, the WHO said.
No European public health emergency, solidarity is key to
tackling outbreak
According to a European Commission spokesperson on August 20,
the current situation in Europe shouldn't "be considered a
public health emergency". The European Centre for Disease
Prevention and Control (ECDC) stated in a risk assessment that
more imported cases "will likely occur" but considers the risk
of the new mpox variant for the general public of the EU/EEA as
low.
After a meeting with the ECDC and the European Medicine Agency
(EMA), the Health Security Committee of the European Commission
concluded that measures such as border controls or extending
vaccinations to the general public are not necessary.
The European Commission has asked member states about their
intention to donate mpox vaccines to affected African countries
and offered to coordinate the effort.
Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety,
on August 22 sent a letter to the EU's health ministers calling
for coordinated action in a "spirit of global solidarity and
cooperation" through the Team Europe approach which was also
used during the COVID pandemic.
The European Union will send 175,420 doses of vaccines to the
Africa CDC to prevent mpox, the European Commission announced in
mid-August.
The commission said in a statement that it would supply the
vaccines via its Health Emergency Preparedness and Response
Authority (HERA). Pharmaceutical firm Bavarian Nordic, which
manufactures the vaccine, will donate 40,000 doses to HERA, the
statement said.
On Monday, a German government spokesman said that the country
was donating 100,000 doses of mpox vaccine to African countries
affected by the disease from army stocks. In the medium term,
Germany, together with European partners, will also support the
African Union in setting up local vaccine production, he said.
EU countries are preparing themselves
Several European countries are advising their citizens to be
vigilant when it comes to travelling to affected areas,
implementing measures in case of possible infections while
recommendations for vaccinations remain limited to at-risk
groups. EU and national health authorities remain calm but
alert.
In Sweden, where the first case of the new variant in Europe was
detected in mid-August, a special governmental crisis group
called GSS had been activated.
"I take the situation seriously, but there is no reason for a
major worry. The risk of spreading is low and we have a good
preparedness for this, with good routines in the health system,"
Sweden's Health Minister Jakob Forssmed said earlier this month.
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