The World Health Organisation has declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighbouring countries. Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox , can spread through close contact. Usually mild, it is fatal in rare cases.
It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body. Determining a disease outbreak as a “public health emergency of international concern” or PHEIC - the WHO’s highest level of alert - can accelerate research, funding and international public health measures and co-operation to contain a disease..