Geneva, August 20, 2024 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has reassured the public that the current mpox outbreak is not another COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing that existing knowledge and control measures are effective in managing the virus.
While the emergence of the Clade 1b strain has prompted the WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, stressed that the spread of mpox can be contained.
“Mpox is not the new COVID,” Kluge stated during a media briefing. “We know how to control mpox. And, in the European region, the steps needed to eliminate its transmission altogether.”
He highlighted the success of previous efforts to control the less severe Clade 2b strain, which primarily affected gay and bisexual men, leading to the lifting of the PHEIC in May 2023.
“Two years ago, we controlled mpox in Europe thanks to direct engagement with the most affected communities,” Kluge explained. “We put in place robust surveillance, investigated new cases and contacts, and provided sound public health advice.”
Kluge emphasized that behavioral change, non-discriminatory public health action, and mpox vaccination were key factors in curbing the previous outbreak. He also reassured the public that the risk to the general population remains low.
“Are we going to go into lockdown in the WHO European region, is it another COVID-19? The answer is clearly: ‘no’,” he stated.
While acknowledging that the predominant route of transmission remains close skin-to-skin contact, Kluge noted the possibility of droplet transmission in certain circumstances, particularly from individuals in the acute phase of infection with mouth blisters.
“The modes of transmission are still a bit unclear. More research is required,” he admitted.
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic clarified that the organization is not recommending the use of masks or mass vaccination. Instead, they advocate for targeted vaccination in outbreak settings for high-risk groups.
The WHO declared the international health emergency on August 14th, driven by the rise in cases of Clade 1b in the Democratic Republic of Congo and its spread to neighboring countries.
