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In the wake of the rapid spread of the mpox outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) has convened an emergency meeting. It is reported that considering the magnitude of the viral outbreak, the United Nations body could classify it as a global emergency.
The mpox outbreak was last reported during 2022-23 and has intensified since then. Initially, the disease was limited to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) but has now- spilled over to nine other African countries including Burundi, Central African Republic, Rwanda and South Africa.
Last year, DRC reported 14,434 suspected cases and at least 728 deaths. In its current wave which is marked by a deadlier Clade Ib variant, as many as 11,000 cases and 445 deaths have been recorded by the WHO so far.
The infection is similar to smallpox which was effectively eradicated in 1980, but mpox has continued to make headlines in central and west Africa. Historically, the the first human case of mpox was recorded in DRC in 1970
In its notes on mpox, WHO mentions that the symptoms include rash, fever, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes. The mode of transmission of mpox infection includes face-to-face, skin-to-skin, mouth-to-mouth, mouth-to-skin contact, respiratory droplets or short-range aerosols from prolonged close contact.
“Mpox is a zoonosis, a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans, with cases often found close to tropical rainforests where there are animals that carry the virus. Evidence of monkeypox virus infection has been found in animals including squirrels, Gambian pouched rats, dormice, different species of monkeys and others,” the WHO factsheet on the disease mentions.
The WHO also mentions that children, pregnant people and people with weak immune systems are at risk for complications from mpox.
According to WHO, identifying mpox is not easy as other viral infections and related health conditions can look similar
The UN body noted that it is important to distinguish mpox from chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections, scabies, herpes, syphilis, other sexually transmissible infections, and medication-associated allergies.
“Someone with mpox may also have another sexually transmissible infection such as herpes. Alternatively, a child with suspected mpox may also have chickenpox. For these reasons, testing is key for people to get treatment as early as possible and prevent further spread,” it stated.
The detection of viral DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the clinically preferred laboratory test for mpox.
The most accurate diagnostic specimens are derived directly from the rash – skin, fluid or crusts – collected by vigorous swabbing.
It is important to note that in the absence of skin lesions, testing can be done on oropharyngeal, anal or rectal swabs. However, testing blood is not recommended.
“The goal of treating mpox is to take care of the rash, manage pain and prevent complications. Early and supportive care is important to help manage symptoms and avoid further problem. Getting an mpox vaccine can help prevent infection,” WHO advises.
“The vaccine should be given within 4 days of contact with someone who has mpox (or within up to 14 days if there are no symptoms). It is recommended for people at high risk to get vaccinated to prevent infection with mpox, especially during an outbreak,” it added.
What has complicated the outbreak in DRC is the chronic civil strife that has thrown normalcy out of gear in Africa’s second largest country. As a result of the conflict, there are as many as seven million internally displaced people in DRC who live in makeshift camps where physical distancing and preventive measures are virtually impossible to follow.
British news agency Reuters reported that children living in these camps are at high risk and in one of the medical centres in Congolese city of Goma, almost half of the infected cases belong to children and adolescents.
As many as 120 rebel groups have been battling the Congolese government for decades marked by two major wars — First Congo War (1996-97) and the Second Congo War (1998-2003) — with the latter being infamous for being the bloodiest war in human history post WWII that claimed 5.4 million lives.
The ongoing conflict in DRC has the potential to intensify the outbreak exponentially and it remains to be seen how WHO and other health agencies respond to the outbreak.