Africa CDC declares mpox a public health emergency
Al JazeeraAUG 2024
WHO Declares Mpox Outbreak a Global Health Emergency
Above: Close-up of monkeypox lesions on the hands of a patient during the recuperative stage of the virus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1997. Image copyright: Smith Collection/Gado/Contributor/Archive Photos via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
The latest strain of the mpox virus has quickly spread across at least 13 Central African nations. This outbreak demands urgent global action to avoid a worsening crisis. By declaring the mpox outbreak a public health emergency, the resources needed to effectively address and prevent the virus from spreading further can be mobilized.
Narrative B
While a new strain of mpox is spreading in Africa, the American public is less aware and fearful of it than in 2022. The majority of US adults know that individuals exposed to mpox can receive a vaccination for people with risk factors and to help prevent its spread. This is no cause for alarm.