Mpox, formerly known as Monkeypox, has just been declared a global health emergency, for the second time in two years, as it continues to spread across the African continent.
The emergence of a new clade of #mpox, its rapid spread in eastern #DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying.
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) August 14, 2024
On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international… pic.twitter.com/u2DSV6fitj
An alleged new strain of the virus with increasing cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) prompted the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to declare its first ever public health emergency on August 13.
Today, we declare #Mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security.
— Africa CDC (@AfricaCDC) August 14, 2024
With 2,863 confirmed cases and 517 deaths across 13 African countries in 2024 alone, Mpox is a crisis demanding our collective action. @AfricaCDC is activating resources, partnerships, and leading… pic.twitter.com/RQr46zhjxq
The director-general of the Africa CDC, Jean Kaseya, who supports global vaccine efforts, notes that this declaration boosts coordination, speeds up research and development [likely as it pertains to big pharma profits] and improves cross-border responses.
Mpox cases in Africa have surged—up 79% from 2022-2023 and 160% from 2023-2024. I’ll meet with the @_AfricanUnion next week to seek backing for declaring a public health emergency. This will boost coordination, speed up R&D, and improve cross-border responses. #HealthSecurity pic.twitter.com/FbIM18Y5mm
— Jean Kaseya (@JeanKaseya2) August 8, 2024
This is thanks to the amendments to International Health Regulations that took place earlier this year, coordinated in back-door deals and informal discussions.
The emergency declaration under IHR means that countries in the region must begin to share information with the Africa CDC and better “tap financial aid,” according to Kaseya.
After the Africa CDC’s declaration, the World Health Organization (WHO) followed suit. It declared this situation a public health emergency of international concern, something that is the cornerstone of the International Health Regulations.
The emergence of a new clade of #mpox, its rapid spread in eastern #DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying.
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) August 14, 2024
On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international… pic.twitter.com/u2DSV6fitj
So what is mpox and how serious is its current spread compared to previous outbreaks?
According to the United States CDC, this viral infection occurs primarily in "gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.”
The virus causes pox-like lesions, a rash with raised bumps or blisters on the skin that fill with fluid or pus that eventually crust over and heal.
Originally discovered in monkeys in 1958, it was referred to as monkeypox but of course, those who claim to follow 'the science' took priority in renaming it simply to mpox because of “racist” and “stigmatizing” affiliations.
According to Our World in Data, there have been a total of eight deaths from the virus in the DRC since February of this year. While deaths are tragic and deserve sympathy, the rolling seven-day average death count represents less than 0.003 percent of DRC’s total population.
Cases, at their peak last month, still only represent roughly 1.4 percent of the total population in the region.
During the first global outbreak in 2022, Africa CDC received its first batches of an MPOX vaccine in November. At the time, Canada was announcing “$16.5 million for research” to “address the current global outbreak of mpox” and "strengthen the ability to prevent future outbreaks.” It seems that didn’t pan out very well.
It looks like at least $3 million of that went to a partnership between the pharma-funded University of Toronto and the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research which focused on “mpox transmission, treatment and vaccines.”
Canada’s largest public health unit, Toronto Public Health, has warned the public and urged vaccination following an uptick in mpox cases after Pride festivities.
Interestingly, Bill Gates’ Global Vaccine Alliance known as GAVI has been ramping up vaccine efforts in these countries for the last several years, becoming increasingly emboldened in their efforts since the success of pharma profits from the COVID era.
GAVI has utilized geospatial mapping to “reach every child with essential vaccines” especially the “zero dose children.” They’ve set up mass vaccination centres called “vaccineodomes” to continue mass-vaccinating the population in the DRC with COVID-19 vaccines.
In conjunction with these potentially immune triggering efforts, GAVI now claims that this outbreak “has spread rapidly, primarily impacting children (in terms of both morbidity and mortality), and resulting in a high case fatality ratio.”
Now, the race to bring vaccines to market is on and at least one pharmaceutical company, Bavarian Nordic, is prepared for the global rollout. GAVI has already swooped in to partner with them and establish a global stockpile of vaccines.
The Government of Canada claims to be closely monitoring the situation and mentions a commitment of $1.6 billion in “core funding” to GAVI since 2000.
The West can rest assured that the “equitable access” is coming on the backs of taxpayers in Western countries who are accessing foodbanks at record numbers and struggling to stay financially afloat amid inflation, excessive taxation and a rapidly lowering quality of living.
Will governments use this emergency declaration to impose lockdowns and voting restrictions ahead of the US presidential election or, will cooler heads prevail, relying on evidence-based decisions without pharma interference?
