WHO sounds alarm: particularly deadly variant spreading rapidly
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared an international medical emergency Wednesday because of a disturbing outbreak of a new, more deadly variant of mpox, also known as monkeypox, in Africa.
The source of infection is located in Congo. Since early 2023, more than 14,000 cases and at least 511 deaths have already been reported. Four African countries have recently recorded the first cases: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. And mpox cases have also already been identified in Morocco, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa.
WHO experts decided at an emergency committee in Switzerland to declare the highest-level international medical emergency. In those ways, it wants to alert authorities around the world to prepare for possible outbreaks.
The new variant of mpox is said to have a mortality rate as high as 10 percent.
(SR for Tagtik/Illustration picture: Pixabay)
