The Director General of the World Health Organsation, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations will be convened to discuss whether the current Mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo represents a public health emergency of international concern.

Ghebreyesus said this at a media briefing , which was monitored virtually.  He said the committee would meet as soon as possible and would be made up of independent experts from a range of relevant disciplines from around the world.

Since the beginning of this year, the DRC has been experiencing a severe outbreak of Mpox, with more than 14,000 reported cases and 511 deaths.

Outbreaks of Mpox have been reported in DRC for decades, and the number of cases reported each year has been increasing steadily.  However, the number of cases reported in the first six months of this year matches the number reported in last year, and the virus has spread to previously unaffected provinces.

The WHO boss noted that the organisation is working with the governments of the affected countries, the Africa CDC, NGOs, civil society, and other partners to understand and address the drivers of these outbreaks.

He said stopping transmission will require a comprehensive response, with communities at the centre.  According to him, two vaccines for Mpox have been approved by WHO-listed national regulatory authorities, and are recommended by WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization.