With Mpox a public health emergency in Africa, what you must know about increased virus risk

Mpox (formerly monkeypox) has officially been declared a public health emergency by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The African agency reported an increase in the disease throughout the continent and warned that the virus could spread across international borders, The Associated Press reported. 

More than 96% of all mpox cases and deaths have taken place in Congo, even though mpox has been detected in 13 African countries.

MPOX DECLARED PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IN AFRICA AS AUTHORITIES BATTLE MULTIPLE VARIANTS

The Africa CDC confirmed that overall cases are up 160%, and deaths increased by 19% compared to last year, according to AP.

Additionally, Swedish health authorities just announced the first case of the highly infectious mpox as well. "In this case, a person was infected during a stay in the part of Africa where there is a major outbreak of [the more infectious mpox formerly known as monkeypox]," the Public Health Agency of Sweden said on Thursday.

Unlike in the 2022 epidemic, when mpox was typically spread through close contact (including sex) between gay and bisexual men, patterns in Africa show that children under 15 years old are making up more than 70% of cases and 85% of deaths in Congo.

Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an infectious diseases expert at Emory University, told AP that it is "unclear" why children are "disproportionately hit" in Congo right now.

She hypothesized that it could be due to children being more susceptible to the virus, overcrowding in social situations or exposure to parents who have mpox.

A new form of mpox that can kill up to 10% of people and may spread more easily has also been detected in Congo, AP reported, which has scientists concerned about transmission.

MPOX OUTBREAK THAT IS RAPIDLY SPREADING THROUGH CONGO MAY BE A NEW FORM OF THE DISEASE

This is because, unlike traditional mpox, which causes lesions on the chest, hands and feet, the new strain causes milder symptoms with lesions on genitalia, according to AP, making it harder to spot.

Earlier this month, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus considered declaring mpox a global emergency given the increasing numbers in Africa.

The WHO head decided to convene with independent experts to come to a pending decision.

Meantime, the WHO reported the release of $1.45 million from its emergency fund to support mpox response in Africa.

Congo is reportedly in communication with donors about vaccine donations and has received financial aid from Britain and the U.S., AP reported. 

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The U.N. health agency said there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths in 2024 – already blowing past last year’s numbers.

In May 2023, the WHO declared that mpox was no longer an international emergency following the 2022 outbreak, as cases declined by 90% for three consecutive months.

Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and Fox News senior medical analyst, said he credited the vaccine for helping to end that outbreak.

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"The use of ring vaccination, where those who were close to monkeypox cases are vaccinated, played a role," he told Fox News Digital last year.

Public education and awareness of risk factors have also been critical, he said.

Those who contracted the disease two years ago were hit with jarring symptoms.

Siegel told Fox News Digital during the first outbreak that the disease causes a "painful" rash that can lead to scarring.

MONKEYPOX: WHO SAYS NO LONGER GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY

The virus is part of the same family that causes smallpox – but is not related to chickenpox, said the CDC.

Mpox patients often develop a rash that moves through several stages and can develop within one to three days, the agency said.

Symptoms can also include headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, fever, backache, swollen lymph nodes and chills.

Mpox is classified as a "zoonotic disease," meaning it can be spread between animals and people and can be found in small rodents, monkeys and other mammals living in locations where the virus is endemic.

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To prevent mpox spread, the CDC recommends avoiding close, skin-to-skin contact with people who appear to have a mpox rash or animals that may carry it.

The public should also be aware of preventative measures to avoid contracting the virus through sex, social gatherings or contaminated materials.

People with severely weakened immune systems, children under 1-year-old, people with a history of eczema and people who are pregnant have the highest risk of severe disease, the CDC notes. 

A two-dose vaccine, called JYNNEOS, is available for protection against mpox and smallpox.

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The CDC recommends vaccinations against mpox if patients have known or suspected exposure to someone with mpox, had a sexual partner who was diagnosed with mpox in the last two weeks, are men having sex with other men or are individuals in other related, high-risk scenarios.

Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy and Sarah Rumph-Whitten, as well as Deirdre Reilly and The Associated Press, contributed to this report.