The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a second health alert on Tuesday, warning healthcare professionals and health departments about a deadly strain of the mpox virus spreading rapidly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
This alert follows the World Health Organization’s (WHO) announcement that it will convene an emergency committee to determine if the ongoing mpox outbreak in the DRC should be classified as a public health emergency of international concern.
The outbreak in the DRC has been severe, with around 27,000 reported cases and over 1,100 deaths, mostly among children, since the beginning of 2023. The situation has raised alarms among global health officials due to the high mortality rate and the virus’s spread beyond the DRC’s borders.
The CDC’s alert specifically focuses on the spread of a particularly dangerous subtype of the mpox virus known as Clade I. This subtype has been detected spreading from the DRC to neighboring countries. Clade I is known to cause more severe infections compared to Clade II, another variant of the virus. Despite the severity of Clade I, the CDC reassures that the risk of this subtype spreading to the U.S. remains very low.
Nonetheless, the CDC is urging U.S. clinicians to remain vigilant, especially when treating individuals who have recently traveled to the DRC or its neighboring countries. While there have been no reported cases of mpox outside of Central and Eastern Africa at this time, the CDC emphasizes the importance of early detection and response to prevent potential outbreaks.
The WHO’s upcoming emergency committee meeting will assess the current situation in the DRC and its implications for global health. The designation of the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern would trigger a coordinated global response, aimed at controlling the spread of the virus and providing support to affected regions.
As the situation develops, health authorities worldwide are closely monitoring the outbreak, preparing to take further action if necessary. The focus remains on containing the virus within Central and Eastern Africa, while ensuring that countries around the world are prepared to respond if the situation escalates.
