On August 14, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the ongoing mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) outbreak in Africa a global health emergency. This decision comes amid rising concerns about a more lethal variant of the virus, which has spread to four previously unaffected African provinces.
The outbreak has been particularly severe in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with over 14,000 reported cases and 511 deaths since the beginning of the year. The virus has also been detected for the first time in neighboring countries such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said of the matter: “The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of mpox in eastern DRC, its detection in neighboring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying.”
Sweden has since reported its first positive case of the more dangerous monkeypox virus strain.
As the WHO makes this announcement, one key component of mpox has seemed to be swept under the rug. Monkeypox is historically spread between bisexual or gay men who are participating in sexual intercourse.
CDC reports from early 2024 confirmed that the largest demographic of people being impacted by the virus were men ages 31-35. In that age bracket, men accounted for 7,083 confirmed cases while women accounted for 155 cases.
The classification of this virus as a “global health emergency” is being scrutinized considering how only 50% of the population is disproportionately affected, and the transmissions of the virus is avoidable.
This declaration marks the eighth time the WHO has issued a global health emergency since 2005. It comes just 82 days before the upcoming U.S. presidential election, scheduled for November 5, 2024. The timing of this announcement has raised questions about its potential impact on the electoral process and public perception of global health issues.
Some political analysts suggest that the proximity of this declaration to the election could influence voter sentiment on issues related to global health, pandemic preparedness, and international cooperation.
Policymakers and conservatives alike are calling out the WHO’s classification as a “global health emergency” as premature and unnecessary when considering the nature of the virus and how is has historically been spread.
