The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday that it will convene an emergency committee to assess whether the ongoing mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.
This decision follows the confirmation of 50 additional mpox cases and suspected cases in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda—countries that had not previously reported any cases.
“Given the spread of mpox beyond the DRC and the potential for further international dissemination within and outside Africa, I have decided to convene an emergency committee under the International Health Regulations to advise me on whether the outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern,” stated WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during a press conference.
The WHO mentioned that the emergency committee will be assembled “as soon as possible” but did not specify a date for the meeting or provide further details.
The current mpox outbreak in the DRC has resulted in approximately 27,000 cases and over 1,100 deaths, predominantly among children, since the beginning of 2023. Initially driven by an endemic strain known as Clade I, the outbreak has been exacerbated by a new variant, Clade Ib, which appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, particularly among children.
In 2022, a different and less severe form of the virus—Clade IIb—spread globally, mainly through sexual contact among men who have sex with men, leading the WHO to declare a public health emergency. Although that specific emergency status has been lifted, the WHO continues to regard mpox as a significant health threat.
