WHO Declares Africa's Mpox Outbreaks a Global Health Emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared a global health emergency as cases of mpox spread in multiple African countries.

The Details: Cases of mpox, formerly named monkeypox, have now been detected in 13 African countries, with 96% concentrated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This year, thousands of adults and children have been infected, and hundreds have died. Many African countries lack an ample supply of vaccines and treatments for mpox.

Key Quote: “Mpox, originating in Africa, was neglected there, and later caused a global outbreak in 2022,” said the chair of a WHO emergency committee. “It is time to act decisively to prevent history from repeating itself.”

For Context: The virus was given the name “monkeypox” in the 1970s after first being discovered in monkeys. In November 2022, the WHO changed its official name for the virus, citing “racist and stigmatizing language” which arose during that year’s global outbreak.

How the Media Covered It: As the story broke, coverage was quite similar from outlets on the left, right, and center, sticking closely to the facts. Associated Press (Lean Left bias) quoted several experts calling the virus a global problem and criticizing the lack of response from non-African countries thus far. Daily Mail (Right bias) described the new strain as “ultra-deadly” and updated their story after publication to note that, “Coincidentally… Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau [today] told his country to prepare for a new 'hypothetical virus' that could rival Covid.”