Mutating Virus Spreading Overseas Worries New York Experts

A global public health emergency has been declared.

Earlier this week, for the second time since 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a global public health emergency.

Mpox Outbreak In Africa Impacts New York State

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has killed more than 500 and infected over 15,000 in Africa.

The outbreak in 2022 started in Africa and quickly spread across the globe, including in New York State.

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Mpox Outbreak Reaches Europe

Health officials confirmed that Mpox has spread from Africa to Europe.

"The emergence of a new clade of Mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighboring countries are very worrying," WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. "It’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”

Mutated Virus Poses Challenge For New York State

Just like COVID, Mpox is mutating. One expert says in 2024 Mpox has made "a big evolutionary jump"

This Mpox variant is said to be more infectious and stronger than the 2022 strain. This worries the New York State Department Of Health. 

The variant of Mpox circulating in Africa and Europe "has demonstrated higher rates of transmissibility and severity," according to the New York State Department of Health.

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Mpox is typically spread from close person-to-person contact.

However according to a Harvard Professor of Medicine in some circumstances "heavily contaminated material such as bedding can cause infection or contact with infected animals,"

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Vaccine Available In New York

According to the New York State Department of Health, the two dose JYNNEOS vaccine "is effective in providing immunity" to both Mpox variants.

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