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Doha – The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that the current mpox outbreak, regardless of the strain, is not comparable to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This assurance comes amid rising concerns about the spread of a more virulent mpox strain, known as “Clade 1,” which has triggered a global health emergency declaration from the WHO.
“Mpox is not the new COVID,” emphasized Hans Kluge, WHO’s regional director for Europe, during a UN media briefing on Tuesday. “We know how to control mpox. And, in the European region, the steps needed to eliminate its transmission altogether.”
The WHO’s confidence stems from existing knowledge about the mpox virus and proven methods to control its spread.
However, the organization acknowledged that more research is needed on the Clade 1 strain, which appears to transmit more easily through routine close contact compared to the less severe Clade 2 strain that drove the 2022 global outbreak.
The Clade 1 outbreak, which first started in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has since spread to neighboring African countries, has prompted the WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) for the second time in two years.
The first case of Clade 1 outside Africa was recently confirmed in Sweden, heightening global vigilance.
Kluge emphasized that the focus on Clade 1 provides an opportunity to refine the response to the still-circulating Clade 2 strain, with about 100 new cases reported monthly in the European region. Enhanced public health advice and surveillance are key to this effort.
While mpox primarily spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, the WHO noted that transmission via respiratory droplets may be possible in acute infection stages, especially with oral blisters.
However, the organization is not currently recommending widespread mask usage or mass vaccination.
“We are recommending to use vaccines in outbreak settings for the groups who are most at risk,” clarified WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced that mpox vaccination roll-out could begin within days in the DRC and other affected African countries, following vaccine pledges from the European Union, United States, Japan, and manufacturer Bavarian Nordic.
Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya stressed the importance of logistics and communication strategies to ensure safe vaccine storage and administration.
In Morocco, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection reported that no new mpox cases have been detected for several months, with officials closely monitoring the international epidemiological situation.
Morocco recorded five cases during the 2022 Clade 2 outbreak but has thus far been spared from the Clade 1 variant causing concern in other regions.
