WHO launches emergency response as Mpox outbreak resurges in DRC

The resurgence of the Mpox virus, also known as monkeypox, is now a concern for many countries, with several cases reported across multiple regions.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been the epicenter of this new resurgence. So far, at least 18,000 cases have been reported in the DRC, with at least 500 deaths attributed to the virus. Over 70% of the cases have been reported among children.

Amid the ongoing insurgency in the DRC, the World Health Organization (WHO) is working to ensure a proper response to curb the spread of the virus.

Speaking to Africanews, Dr. Samuel Boland, the incident manager for Mpox at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, said they are adapting new strategies to reach even the conflict-hit regions in the DRC as part of their response to the resurgence.

"We can use things like the radio to reach people who might otherwise be difficult to access by foot. We have already begun the process of mobilizing a large network of personnel across the DRC and other Mpox-affected areas, who are already on the ground and ready to support the Mpox response in these very difficult and hard-to-reach areas," said Dr. Boland.

The DRC hopes to receive vaccine doses to address its Mpox outbreak by next week, according to the Congolese health minister on Monday. The WHO stressed that the vaccines are urgently needed.

"DRC will be receiving the first doses of the vaccine in just the next couple of weeks. The key thing to remember is that it's not vaccines on the tarmac that we need—it's vaccines in the hands of the key populations that need them, and of course, those who want them. We're already working very hard with member states and partners to develop national vaccination plans so that as soon as those vaccines arrive on the ground, we can distribute them to the people who need them as quickly as possible," Dr. Boland added.

The outbreak in multiple African countries prompted the WHO last week to declare Mpox a global health emergency.

The WHO emphasizes that prevention mechanisms might be the most effective way to curb the spread of the virus.

"The best way to ensure prevention is to build knowledge and understanding. People need to recognize the signs and symptoms and know how to prevent transmission from one person to another. It doesn't necessarily require vaccination to stop transmission; it simply requires people to uphold public health and social measures, such as avoiding physical contact with others if they are sick," Dr. Boland said.

The latest update from WHO reassures that this is not another COVID-19.