Forbes Due to the alarming surge in cases of mpox (formerly referred to as monkeypox), the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared the disease a public health emergency on Tuesday. There have already been 17,500 mpox cases and 460 deaths in Africa in 2024, more than were recorded all of last year. The severity of the outbreak has public health officials discussing whether a global public health emergency is needed.
What Is Mpox?
Mpox is a disease caused by monkeypox virus, which was first discovered in 1958 when an outbreak of a pox-like illness occurred in monkeys used for research. The first human case was reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the disease is now considered endemic in several central and west African countries.