The World Health Organization (WHO) has downplayed comparisons between the current mpox outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to WHO’s European director, Hans Kluge, while the newly identified Clade one billion strain warrants further investigation, the virus is well understood, and existing tools can effectively control its spread.
The UN agency declared a public health emergency for the less severe Clade 2b mpox strain in July 2022, primarily affecting gay and bisexual men. This alert was lifted in May 2023.
“Mpox is not the new Covid. We know how to control mpox. And, in the European region, the steps needed to eliminate its transmission altogether,” he told a media briefing in Geneva, via video link.
“Two years ago, we controlled mpox in Europe thanks to the direct engagement with the most affected communities. We put in place robust surveillance; we thoroughly investigated new cases and contacts and we provided sound public health advice.
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“Behaviour change, non-discriminatory public health action, and mpox vaccination contributed to controlling the outbreak,” Kluge insisted
Kluge said the risk to the general population was low.
“Are we going to go in lockdown in the WHO European region, it’s another COVID-19? The answer is clearly: ‘no’,” he said.
Kluge said the predominant route of transmission remained close to skin-to-skin contact.
But he said it was possible that someone in the acute phase of mpox infection, especially with blisters in the mouth, may transmit the virus to close contact by droplets, in circumstances such as in the home or in hospitals.
“The modes of transmission are still a bit unclear. More research is required.”
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said the WHO was not recommending the use of masks.
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“We are not recommending mass vaccination. We are recommending to use of vaccines in outbreak settings for the groups who are most at risk,” he added.
The WHO declared an international health emergency on August 14, concerned by the rise in cases of Clade 1b in the Democratic Republic of Congo and its spread to nearby countries.
