What was the response to the outbreak? How was it controlled?
by HON 312
Published onMar 13, 2023
What was the response to the outbreak? How was it controlled?
Since Mpox has predominantly been in Africa, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Western countries were not prepared for this outbreak. These western countries have now been trying to play catch up on funding for the research and surveillance of the virus. One of the main responses has been surveillance. PAHO and WHO joined forces to attempt to raise $1.284 million to improve surveillance efforts in the United States to further surveillance efforts and prevent spread in the Americas [1].
PAHO’s response to the Mpox outbreak in the Americas include communicating and engaging with at-risk communities, using timely detection and treatment for patients as well as protection for health care workers, using laboratory detection, surveillance, and containment of transmission chains, and securing access to critical health supplies[7].
The Mpox outbreak of 2022 was first declared by the WHO Director General on July 23, 2022. In response, the CDC began immediate mass distribution of the JYNNEOS vaccine across the United States [2]. Well over 175,000 doses of the vaccine were administered in the month following the beginning of the outbreak, as seen in the graph below, courtesy of the CDC. The number of vaccines administered has a strong correlation with population density, where over 150,000 doses have been administered in NYC, and nearly 300,000 doses in the State of California. The JYNNEOS vaccine has been recorded as about 70% effective in combating the disease after 2 full doses, but only about 40% effective when only 1 dose has been administered.
Treatments authorized in the EU and United States are not available in Africa anywhere. Specifically, the smallpox vaccine which has been effective in lessening the severity of Mpox cases is not available in Africa. Tecovirimat (TPOXX), an antiviral used as treatment, is not authorized for use in Africa like it is in the U.S.A. and the European Union. While TPOXX is only FDA approved for smallpox uses, the CDC has cleared it through expanded access Investigational New Drug (EA-IND) protocols for use on Mpox[4]. In terms of economics, countries with more resources at their disposal are reluctant to share these with the countries that are suffering, like the DRC. Distant threats mean no money for research. A $3 million research project partly funded by the DoD will hopefully improve virus surveillance, according to PBS News Hour.
According to the most recent situation report published by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Global Risk Assessment is Moderate, but in the Americas, this level is at High. On May 23, 2022, PAHO activated its standard emergency procedures and in addition to a team specializing in incident management (PAHO, 2022). The Mpox outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in July 2022, and recommendations were issued to help countries respond quickly, stop transmission, and protect vulnerable groups. This goes along with guidance put out by the WHO to countries to improve surveillance, case investigation, and contact tracing. Both PAHO and WHO are working to improve vaccine availability to a wider population.
2022 Outbreak Cases and Data. (2023, January 25). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/index.html
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