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The World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Committee met in Geneva yesterday (August 15) and unanimously agreed that the latest outbreak in Mpox does constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus convened the Emergency Committee after a surge in the spread of the new variant of the Mpox virus, subclade 1b, was detected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighbouring countries of Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda.
“It is clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop the outbreak and save lives,” Tedros said.
Africa Centres for Disease Control (Africa CDC) Declared A public health emergency for mainland security (PHECS) occurred on Tuesday (August 13).
“This is not just an African problem. African pox virus is a global threat, one that knows no borders, no race, no faith,” said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director of Africa CDC. “This virus exploits our vulnerabilities and attacks us at our weakest points. It is in these moments of vulnerability that we must find our greatest strengths and show through solidarity that we have all learned the lessons of COVID.”
In 2022, when Mpox spread to many countries outside the DRC, including the EU, the virus was declared a PHEIC. In May 2023, the alert was lifted.
The European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) will publish its latest risk assessment for EU/EEA countries on August 16, and the EU Health Security Committee will also meet next Monday (August 19) to discuss further actions that need to be taken.
vaccine
The European Union Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Agency (HERA) will procure and donate 175,420 doses of MVA-BN® vaccine to Africa CDC as an emergency response measure. MVA-BN is currently the only mpox vaccine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as an emergency response measure to mpox outbreaks in Africa.
In addition, vaccine manufacturer Bavarian Nordic Pharmaceuticals will donate 40,000 doses of vaccine to HERA, and the Africa CDC will distribute the vaccine based on regional needs.
Only two countries have granted emergency use authorization for the vaccine, but the WHO has asked Bavarian Nordic to submit a letter of intent for the vaccine’s Emergency Use Listing (EUL), which could accelerate its adoption in African countries that have yet to receive national regulatory approval.
“Strong global partnerships are at the heart of our European Health Union,” said Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides. “Health security threats know no borders and today, thanks to the collaboration between the European Commission, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Bavaria Nordic, we are delivering 215,000 vaccines to protect the most vulnerable people in MPOX-affected countries in Africa.”
Kyriakides said that addressing the threat requires a resolute response and cross-border solidarity, “Preventing and responding to health threats is a global effort.”
Read more by Euractiv
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