The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on European nations to strengthen efforts to eliminate mpox while supporting Africa in vaccine access. Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, emphasized that mpox is not comparable to COVID-19 and stressed the need for political commitment to defeat the disease.
“The risk from mpox to the general population is low,” Dr. Kluge stated, underscoring that the disease primarily spreads through skin-to-skin contact. He rejected the notion of COVID-like lockdowns in Europe, emphasizing, “We know how to control mpox – and in the European region – the steps needed to eliminate its transmission altogether.”
Reflecting on Europe’s response to the 2022 mpox outbreak, Dr. Kluge pointed out that it was successfully contained through “behavior change, non-discriminatory public health action, and mpox vaccination,” but warned that the region is still seeing around 100 new cases each month. “We failed to go the last mile,” he admitted.
Dr. Kluge also highlighted the urgent need for European solidarity with Africa, particularly in ensuring equitable access to vaccines. “The current state of alert due to clade 1 gives European health authorities the opportunity to also strengthen focus on clade 2 and eliminate it once and for all,” he said.
Echoing this, WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarević detailed the availability of vaccines, including MVA-BN, LC16, and ACAM2000, noting that Japan is in negotiations with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) regarding donations. The DRC has reported over 15,600 mpox cases this year, with more than 540 deaths.
Dr. Kluge concluded with a call for global coordination, stating, “We can, and must, tackle mpox together – across regions and continents. How we respond now, and in the years to come, will prove a critical test for Europe – and the world.”