About the Author(s)
The author is a graduate of BS (Hons) in Microbiology from Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Peshawar. After graduation, she began preparing for the CSS exams. During her CSS journey, she discovered facts that are unknown to the common person. Therefore, she wanted to write articles that are easy to understand and provide awareness about emerging issues that pose a danger to those who are unaware
It was August 20-21, 2024, when an expert of the World Health Organization (WHO) said, “Mpox is ‘not the new Covid’, because authorities clearly know how to control its spread” (1). Although this statement had relieved the leaders and scientists around the world, the rise of another clade of Mpox and its declaration as “Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)” on August 14 by WHO (2) rang the alarming bells in the healthcare system of developing countries. Just like COVID-19, Mpox can also disturb the health and socio-economic sectors of developing countries at much larger levels. Let’s understand what is Mpox and its new clade, why it is a public health emergency, and how it can affect the health and socio-economic sectors.
Introduction to Mpox virus
The Mpox virus is a member of Orthopoxvirus genus, which includes variola virus (which causes smallpox), cowpox virus, and vaccinia virus. It was first discovered in 1958 in lab monkeys, thus the term “monkeypox”. However, 1970 saw the first human case reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The primary mode of transmission for mpox is animal-to-human, or zoonotic, transmission. They can also transmit from human-to-human through close contact with the infected bodily fluids, lesions, or respiratory droplets. Moreover, it can also spread through contaminated materials such as bedding or clothing.
The symptoms of mpox are comparable to those of smallpox. After a period of incubation ranging from 5 to 21 days, symptoms including fever, headaches, muscle aches, and fatigue appear. Another characteristic that sets mpox apart is the development of a rash, which frequently begins on the face and spreads to other areas of the body.
Global Impact and Response to Mpox
Historically, Mpox has been limited to sporadic outbreaks in Africa, with occasional cases reported elsewhere due to international travel. However, in 2022, the virus became widely known when it spread to other countries, including the United States, Canada, and several European nations. The insights gathered during the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the global response to the mpox outbreak of 2022. For example, guidelines on case detection, isolation, and contact tracing were immediately released by the WHO and other public health agencies. Moreover, the already available vaccines, such as the smallpox vaccine, which offers cross-protection against Mpox, played a crucial role in controlling the outbreak.
The new clade of Mpox and why it was declared as Public Health Emergency?
After its spread in 2022 beyond Africa, the virus regained international attention in 2024. With the Democratic Republic of Congo at the epicenter, the virus’s spread beyond Africa has alarmed people worldwide, especially since a new strain called 1b has emerged.
A “clade” refers to a grouping that consists of all the living and extinct offspring of a common ancestor. According to Merriam Webster dictionary, a clade is a group of biological taxa (such as species) that includes all descendants of one common ancestor. The new clade of Mpox, clade 1b, is on public emergency alert due to its increased transmissibility and potential for more severe clinical effects. It is contagious and spreads through intimate physical contact. The virus can enter the body through broken skin or mucous membranes in the mouth, eyes, or nose.
Since the beginning of the monitoring in 2022 and until July 31, 2024, 101,977 confirmed cases of mpox, including 219 deaths, have been reported by 121 countries globally, according to the WHO report “2022-2024 Mpox (Monkeypox) Outbreak: Global Trends (sjiyapps.io)”. According to an epidemic intelligence report issued by the Africa CDC on August 16, there have been 18,737 Mpox cases across twelve African countries since the beginning of the year, resulting in 541 deaths (2). Cases of the 2024 Mpox outbreak have also been reported in several Asian and European countries; hence, demanding international attention.
How Mpox can effect health and socio-economic sectors of developing countries?
The developing countries that had gradually and laboriously recovered from the COVID-19 crises will face a significant setback in their health and socio-economic sectors due to the sudden emergence and quick spread of a new virus. Unlike developed countries, developing countries are more prone to deadly viruses.
Mpox can cause severe crisis in the healthcare sector of developing countries. Firstly, the virus can cause increased burden on healthcare systems. The developing countries often face challenges such as underfunded healthcare systems, limited access to medical resources, and a shortage of healthcare professionals. Secondly, developing countries can face higher morbidity and mortality due to limitation in vaccination coverage and lower surveillance and detection of cases. Lastly, people infected with Mpox may face stigmatization and mental health issues. This is due to the lack of information in remote areas where the infected individuals could get stigmatized due to the appearance of rash on their skin, burdening the healthcare system further.
While impacting the socio-economic sectors of developing countries, Mpox can cause economic disruption because of the dependence of the majority of the population on daily wages, informal employment, and agriculture. Although the mpox is not likely to cause a lockdown, it can still affect the vulnerable populations due to minimal market activity from the fear of transmission of the virus. Moreover, Mpox can impact tourism and international trade that have reported confirmed cases of Mpox, leading to the shutdown of their tourism departments. Finally, Mpox can also cause the closure of educational institutions and a strain on social services. With a lack of resources, the only option left with them is to put a ban on social activities to prevent the spread of virus.
Concluding Remarks
From the lessons learned from COVID-19 and the availability of effective vaccines for Mpox, numerous health organizations are making their utmost efforts to stop the further spread of virus as they did in 2022. They have published a set of precautions at individual, national and international level that should be followed to prevent the further spread of virus. Some of these precautions at individual level include: avoid unprotected contact with an infected person; wash hands frequently with soap and water, especially after caring for an infected person; do not share bedding, clothing and other items with the infected person; thoroughly cook dairy and poultry products (as it is a zoonotic disease); and isolate an infected person in hospital or at home. Each new problem brings a new solution, and the only thing one can do is to follow that solution. Every individual should follow the precautions enlisted by respected organizations to prevent themselves, their family, and their country from potential calamities.
References:
1. Mpox not new Covid and can be stopped, expert says [updated 2024/08/31/10:28:08]. Available from: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg34y37jqgo.
2. Adepoju P. Mpox declared a public health emergency. The Lancet. 2024;404(10454):e1-e2.
