NBC News Mpox has been declared a global health emergency by WHO. What does this mean and where is it spreading? Experts discuss mpox outbreaks, symptoms, and risk. Mpox is now considered a global health emergency as cases surge in Central Africa and a new subtype of the virus, which causes severe illness, spreads to multiple countries — prompting concerns about a lockdown over the virus formerly known as monkeypox in the U.S.
Mpox is a highly contagious viral disease, which can cause flu-like symptoms and painful skin lesions. It’s caused by the mpox virus, which spreads through close contact.
In response to a growing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries in Africa, the World Health Organization on Aug. 14 declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), WHO’s highest level of alarm.
This is the second time WHO has declared mpox a PHEIC in two years. The first was in response to a multi-country outbreak in 2022, which sickened nearly 100,000 people, including 32,000 in the U.S., per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although the risk of the current mpox outbreak spreading to people in the U.S. remains very low, experts say, the resurgence of mpox in multiple countries in Africa has raised alarm among scientists.
Here’s what to know about mpox, where it’s spreading, who is at risk, and symptoms to watch for.