The WHO Declares Mpox as a Global Health Emergency
Also known as Monkeypox (mpox), the mpox outbreak has claimed the lives of at least 450 people during an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. WHO later declared the mpox outbreak in parts of Africa as a global health emergency, raising alarm bells internationally.
This Pacific Prime Hong Kong article will delve into the mpox outbreak, declared as an alarming global health emergency by WHO.
Introduction to Mpox
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the mpox virus and can be transmitted through close contact such as sex, skin-to-skin contact, or prolonged face-to-face interactions (such as talking and breathing) close to another person.
The virus can also spread through contaminated shared objects such as bedding, clothing, and towels, or close contact with infected animals such as monkeys, rats, or squirrels. The mpox virus can enter the body through open wounds, the respiratory tract, eyes, nose, or mouth.
Initial symptoms consist of fever, headaches, swellings, back pain, and muscle aches. After the fever breaks, a rash can develop on the face before spreading to other parts of the body such as the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. The rash, which can be itchy and painful, goes through different stages before forming a scab that falls off and heals into a scar.
While the infection can clear up on its own within 14 and 21 days, some cases can be fatal particularly for vulnerable groups such as small children or the elderly. Additionally, serious cases can cause lesions on the body, especially the eyes, mouth, and genitals.
You can prevent mpox through vaccines, though these are only available for people who are at risk or those who are in close contact with someone who is infected.
A Declaration of Global Health Emergency by the WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO)’s director-general, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, declared the mpox outbreaks in parts of Africa as a global health emergency, raising alarm bells internationally. The highly contagious disease has killed at least 450 people during an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has now spread across parts of central and east Africa.
The declaration came on the advice of an International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee of independent experts who reviewed data presented by the WHO’s experts and the affected countries.
Scientists are especially concerned about how fast a new variant of the disease is spreading as well as its high fatality rate. Dr. Tedros expressed heavy concern about the potential of further spreading within Africa and beyond, saying the emergence of the disease, rapid spread in the DRC, and cases in various neighboring countries are “very worrying”.
He further stated that a “coordinated international response” is the key to stopping the outbreak and saving lives.
WHO’s African regional director, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, “significant efforts” are already on the way in closely collaborating with communities and governments and “our country teams working on the frontlines” to help reinforce measures to combat the disease outbreak.
An Infection Beyond Africa
On Thursday, August 16th, 2024, a day after the WHO declared the mpox disease as a global health emergency, Sweden confirmed its first case of the disease. According to the Swedish Public Health Agency, Olivia Wigzell, during a press conference, the person was infected while staying in a part of Africa with a substantial outbreak of the disease.
Wigzell said the person infected has received care and instructions in line with recommendations from the health agency. She also stated that the case was the first caused by Clade I, which was diagnosed “outside the African continent”.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the mpox outbreak goes beyond Africa, as seen in the first case of the disease in Sweden due to the person staying in a part of Africa that was severely infected. Nevertheless, the WHO has declared the outbreak as a global health emergency and efforts are underway in collaborating with various sectors to reinforce measures to counteract the severe outbreak.
While the mpox outbreak may be dangerous, especially for Africa where the outbreak began, you can always craft a safety net for yourself and your family with a health insurance plan. Having the right health insurance plan can help alleviate financial stress from unexpected medical bills in the event of illnesses or injuries.
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He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts, Media & Communication major (concentration: Creative Content) from Mahidol University International College (MUIC). During the compulsory major elective period in the summer of 2021 and voluntarily during the summer of 2022, he also interned as a video and photo editor at Mbrella Films.
He has experience working as an English Content Writer at a real estate buying/renting/selling platform in Thonglor. There, he crafted company blog posts on a multitude of topics. Topics include market trends, legal issues and disputes in property businesses, financial guides, expat guides, home insurance, home decoration and maintenance, and weekly real estate news quick-recaps. Occasionally, as part of the blog-writing process, he would also translate existing Thai blogs to English.
In his free time, Guy enjoys doing scriptwriting and storytelling for comic strips, watching movies, and listening to music (particularly film scores).
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