Monkey Pox: WHO Reports Over 15,600 Cases And 537 deaths

Over 15,600 Mpox cases and 537 deaths have been reported worldwide in 2024 so far. In this case, the World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, highlighted that Mpox, whether the old or new strain, is not comparable to COVID-19 in terms of spread and severity. 

World Health Organization:

Hans Kluge, the WHO regional director for Europe, recently addressed the situation regarding Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) and highlighted that controlling the disease is within reach. He added that the strategies required to manage Mpox are well-understood and that effective containment is achievable.

Kluge noted that Mpox differs significantly from COVID-19 in terms of its severity and rate of spread. "We can and must tackle Mpox together," he claimed. He posed a critical question to the international community,  "So will we choose to put the systems in place to control and eliminate mpox globally? Or will we enter another cycle of panic and neglect? How we respond now and in the years to come will prove a critical test for Europe and the world."

What Is Mpox?

Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is a disease caused by infection with a virus, known as Monkeypox virus. It can affect both humans and animals. Symptoms typically include a rash that develops into blisters before crusting over, along with fever and swollen lymph nodes. 

The disease is generally mild, and most people recover within a few weeks without the need for treatment but it can be severe or even deadly in some cases. 

What Is Clade?

There are two types of Monkeypox virus, clade I and clade II. Clade I causes more severe illness and death. Some outbreaks have killed up to 10% of the people who get sick, although more recent outbreaks have had lower death rates. Clade I is endemic to Central Africa.

Clade II is the type that caused the global outbreak that began in 2022. Infections from clade II mpox are less severe. More than 99.9% of people survive. Clade II is endemic to West Africa.

Public Health Measures:

Kluge noted that while the new clade 1 strain is drawing significant attention, it also presents an opportunity to improve focus on the less severe clade 2 strain. This includes improving public health advice and maintaining surveillance efforts. "About 100 new cases of the clade 2 mpox strain are now being reported in the European region every month," Kluge added.

International Response:

The WHO has designated the current mpox outbreak as an "international concern," following the detection of more than 17,000 cases of the deadlier strain across Europe. Due to Monkey Pox, over 15,600 cases and 537 deaths reported so far in 2024. 

Before this, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention had already declared a public health emergency in Africa. The last time monkeypox was declared a global health emergency was in 2022.

India Safety Measures:

India has heightened its vigilance following the World Health Organization's (WHO) declaration of Mpox as a global health emergency. In response, the Serum Institute of India (SII) in Pune announced on August 20 that it is actively working on developing a vaccine for Mpox, with promising results anticipated within the next year.

Adar Poonawalla, CEO of SII Pune, stated that given the global health emergency declared due to the Mpox outbreak, we are committed to developing a vaccine to protect millions of people who may be at risk. We are making significant progress and hope to provide more updates and positive news within a year.