The World Health Organization issued an international public health emergency Wednesday over mpox, leading to increased concern around travel to Africa and causing mpox stocks to trade higher once again.
What Happened: A rise in mpox cases in Africa prompted the WHO to issue a public health emergency of international concern, which is the highest level of alarm in international health law.
"The Emergency Committee's advice to me, and that of the (Africa CDC), which yesterday declared a public health emergency of regional security, are aligned," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declared a public health emergency Tuesday.
Among the most impacted countries by the rise of Mpox cases are the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, according to the WHO.
Ninety-six percent of this year’s mpox cases are in the Congo, the Associated Press reported, citing the Africa CDC.
Concerns around the disease’s spread prompted the public safety alert.
"In addition to other outbreaks of other clades of mpox in other parts of Africa, it's clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives," the WHO’s Tedros said.
In 2024, there have been 14,000 reported mpox cases and 524 deaths, a "significant increase" in cases from 2023, the WHO said.
A new mpox virus clade is reported to be deadlier and easier to transmit person to person.
"Stopping these outbreaks will require a tailored and comprehensive response, with communities at the centre, as always," the WHO director said.
The WHO said it is working with governments in African countries to provide machines that can analyze blood samples and confirm mpox cases.
The WHO's regional response plan includes an initial $15 million for "surveillance, preparedness and response activities."
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Mpox Stocks Move: Two WHO-recommended and approved vaccines are being used to fight the mpox outbreak. The WHO has invited other manufacturers of mpox vaccines who have not received regulatory approval to express interest in helping.
The WHO recommends using mpox vaccines from Bavarian Nordic BVNRY and Emergent Biosolutions EBS.
Bavarian Nordic recently secured a $157-million contract to replenish the U.S. supply of the Jynneos smallpox and mpox vaccine, as reported by FiercePharma.
Jynneos launched commercially earlier this year. Bavarian Nordic has an existing pact with the U.S. for a next-generation, freeze-dried version of the vaccine.
Bavarian Nordic shares gained 32.52% Wednesday, closing at $13.61.
Emergent's ACAM2000 vaccine is approved to prevent smallpox and may be used against mpox, according to the CDC website. Routine use of the vaccine ended in the U.S. in 1972 and the vaccine has not been used in the U.S. in the mpox outbreak that started in 2022. The U.S. has a large supply of ACAM2000.
Emergent also makes Tembexa, a potential treatment for mpox.
Emergent shares gained 11.65% Wednesday, closing at $7.57.
Other big movers on the mpox news are GeoVax Labs GOVX and SIGA Technologies SIGA, up 24% and 28%, respectively Wednesday.
GeoVax has a mpox vaccine in clinical development. SIGA Technologies has Tpoxx, which is a treatment for mpox.
What History Shows: Mpox was first identified in 1958 with outbreaks found in monkeys. Human cases often came from close contact with animals that were infected, as reported by the AP.
A mpox outbreak in 2022 came with confirmation that the virus could be spread via sex. The year saw outbreaks in more than 70 countries, including some that had not previously reported cases.
Mpox is similar to the smallpox virus with symptoms of fever, chills and body aches. More severe cases can include lesions on the body. The newer version of the mpox virus has seen reported lesions on genitals and milder symptoms, making it harder to spot and diagnose.
Another key difference in recent mpox outbreaks is the people who are being infected. The 2022 outbreak saw a large majority of the cases in gay and bisexual men, with the virus spread from sex. The latest outbreak is now seen most heavily in children under the age of 15, who make up 70% of cases and 85% of deaths in Congo.
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