The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for an urgent conference to discuss whether a forthcoming large pox outbreak in Africa qualifies as a public health emergency of international concern. An outbreak of mpox cases has been reported in at least 15 African nations, including four that were previously unaffected: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

The WHO reports that as of now, in 2024, the 15 nations have reported 2,030 confirmed cases and 13 deaths. Over 15,000 cases of probable mpox have been reported across the continent this year, with over 500 deaths. Compared to the 1,145 cases and seven deaths recorded in the prior year.

Over 90 percent of the cases have come from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on their own. Since September 2023, a new and dangerous strain has been circulating there. According to media accounts, the haplogroup 1b form is spreading across borders and killing 10 percent of young people.  Since current diagnostics do not detect mutations, it is more difficult to diagnose. It is also thought that the variation killed dozens of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, and Burundi.

Direct animal contact, such as with squirrels that carry the virus, is typically how the disease spreads. Human-to-human contact, however, may potentially facilitate the dissemination of new variations. The smallpox virus and this virus belong to the same family. Along with other symptoms, rashes are common in people with mpox. Before healing, the rash will go through several phases, including scabs.