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A colourised transmission electron micrograph of monkeypox particles AP/Press Association

The WHO has declared an emergency, but what exactly is Mpox and why the extra concern now?

More than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported so far this year in DR Congo, already exceeding last year’s total.

LAST UPDATE | 15 Aug 2024

THE WORLD HEALTH Organisation (WHO) yesterday declared that an Mpox surge in Africa is a global public health emergency, sounding its highest possible alarm over the worsening situation.

Mpox has swept through the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the virus – formerly known as monkeypox – was first discovered in humans in 1970, and spread to other countries.

More than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported so far this year in DR Congo, already exceeding last year’s total.

Many of the Mpox cases reported in DR Congo involve children who became infected through contact with animals or an infected household member.

The WHO convened a meeting of experts to study the outbreak, and the group recommended that a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) be declared.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director general, accepted the recommendation, yesterday telling a press conference: “This is something that should concern us all.”

Different clades

Strains of Mpox are known as ‘clades’.

The current outbreak in Africa is caused by clade I Mpox; this tends to result in a higher number of severe infections and has a higher mortality rate.

A new virus strain, clade Ib, has been detected in the east of the DRC and has also been confirmed in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

Clade II Mpox caused the global outbreak in 2022, which led to more than 95,000 cases across 115 non-endemic countries including Ireland. The vast majority of people who contact clade II Mpox survive.

A case of clade I Mpox was today notified in Sweden which is understood to be the first confirmed case in Europe. 

“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 said yesterday.

“On top of outbreaks of other Mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”

Mpox was previously declared a public health emergency in July 2022 after outbreaks of the virus in several countries, but this status was lifted in May 2023.

What exactly is Mpox?

Mpox is an infection caused by the monkeypox virus. The infection has symptoms similar to smallpox, although less severe.

Mpox is a zoonosis, a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans, with cases often found close to tropical rainforests where there are animals that carry the virus.

However, clade II Mpox cases have been found in countries all over the world including Ireland.

Mpox can also spread from person to person through very close contact.

This can include:

  • sexual contact or other intimate contact (such as kissing or cuddling)
  • other types of very close contact, for example with people in your household
  • touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with the Mpox rash or scabs
  • touching Mpox skin blisters or scabs
  • the coughs or sneezes of a person with Mpox when they’re very close to you

Anyone can get Mpox but, during the outbreaks here in 2022 and 2023, most cases were among men who are gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men (gbMSM).

It usually takes between five and 21 days for the first symptoms to appear.

What are the symptoms? 

  • an itchy rash
  • a high temperature (38.5 degrees Celsius or higher)
  • headaches
  • muscle aches
  • back ache
  • swollen glands
  • shivering (chills)
  • exhaustion
  • a cough
  • a runny nose

The rash usually appears one to five days after the first symptoms. Some people only have a rash.

The rash can start on your face, then spreads to other parts of your body. This can include your mouth, the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet.

Screenshot 2024-08-15 at 11.56.36 Mpox blisters Health Surveillance Protection Centre (HPSC) Health Surveillance Protection Centre (HPSC)

If Mpox has been spread through sexual contact, the rash can appear around your bum or genitals. It may not spread.

The rash starts as raised spots, which turn into small blisters filled with fluid. These blisters eventually form scabs which later fall off.

What to do if you have Mpox

If you think you have Mpox, you should contact your GP or an STI clinic for advice. 

If you do have Mpox, you will need to self-isolate until your rash is completely healed.

Self-isolation means staying indoors and avoiding contact with other people. This includes the people you live with.

If you have Mpox, self-isolate until your rash has healed. Your GP can tell you when it is OK to stop self-isolating.

If you live with someone who is self-isolating, avoid face-to-face contact until they have finished self-isolating.

Mpox treatment involves relieving the symptoms, there is no specific medicine available to cure it. Most people recover in two to four weeks.

Is there a vaccine?

A vaccination programme for Mpox was introduced in Ireland in 2022 and was deemed a success, greatly reducing the number of confirmed cases.

Over 11,000 doses of the vaccine were delivered to around 5,000 people in 2022 and 2023.

More than 240 Mpox cases were reported in Ireland in 2022 and 2023 (the vast majority in 2022), but relatively few cases are now reported. Only six cases have been reported to date this year, including one last week.

In December 2023, the HSE paused the Mpox vaccination programme until further notice.

MPOWER – a programme run by HIV Ireland which aims to improve sexual wellbeing among gbMSM – previously called for the Mpox vaccine to be made available as part of routine vaccinations in sexual health services.

Following yesterday’s WHO declaration, the HSE told The Journal it “will consider the need for a new vaccine programme”.

The HSE’s spokesperson noted that no cases of clade I Mpox have been identified in Ireland to date.

“The HSE will be advised by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and by a risk assessment under preparation by the European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control (ECDC).

“The HSE will consider the need for any new vaccination programme and the particular groups potentially in scope for vaccination.”

The spokesperson added that Ireland has “sufficient supplies” of the Mpox vaccine “to meet any likely needs over the coming months”.

Contains reporting from © AFP 2024  

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34 Comments
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    Mute Gavin Smartr
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    Jan 13th 2025, 7:48 AM

    Atleast we can be 100% sure that nothing will change for atleast another 5 years. Now that stability!

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    Mute Willie Marty
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    Jan 13th 2025, 8:00 AM

    Speaking on behalf of granparents hopefully something can be done soon.We cannot carry out this free service indefinetly.

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    Mute Mary Linton
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    Jan 13th 2025, 8:06 AM

    @Willie Marty: certainly speaking for yourself anyway, nobody forcing you to spend a bit of time with grandchildren, personally I love my couple days with mine

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    Mute Willie Marty
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    Jan 13th 2025, 8:47 AM

    @Enoch Kochwomble: Mary linton-both wrong as I have 7 grankids and love each of them very much.If ye read my post properly ye wouldnt be jumping to yere ridiculous conclusions.

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    Mute James Leahy
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    Jan 13th 2025, 8:47 AM

    @Mary Linton: ridicu

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    Mute Mary Linton
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    Jan 13th 2025, 8:53 AM

    @Willie Marty: no ‘jumping to conclusions’…. You stated you’re providing some kind of “free service”….. If taking care of your grandchildren is a ‘service’ , an inconvenience or something burdensome simply DON’T do it. Personally, I find it pleasurable, rewarding, & really look forward to my two days a week with little ones

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    Mute Willie Marty
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    Jan 13th 2025, 9:00 AM

    @Mary Linton: wrong again.I do it 5 days a week and i love it I was referring to the longevity of it.Hopefully my health will hold up for as long as possible.

    33
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    Mute Ger Whelan
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    Jan 13th 2025, 10:03 AM

    @Mary Linton: Sounds like you are jumping to conclusions. It’s great you have your grandkids 2 days a week but I would imagine having them 5 days a week can be very taxing. My in-laws love all their grandkids. But at 71 and 73 nobody could expect them to run around after a toddler for 5 days a week.

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    Mute Karin Ahlers
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    Jan 13th 2025, 10:28 AM

    @Willie Marty: you are so right. We grandparents should pull together and stand up for more acknowledgement for our voluntary work.

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    Mute SerotoninWars
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    Jan 13th 2025, 10:32 AM

    @Willie Marty: I think most sensible people knew what you meant Willie. I’ve no doubt you love spending time with your grandkids but a return to almost full time parenting later on is a huge ask. Kids are demanding, tiring and a lot of responsibility no matter how much you love them and how many good times you have in between all the work!

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    Mute Karin Ahlers
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    Jan 13th 2025, 10:39 AM

    @Mary Linton: good for you. But how many grandparents have to care for their grandchildren, because the government fails to do it, and because their parents can’t efford the costs of childcare? Grandchildren are a godsend and I love mine to bits, but it is not right, that our society rely on us for taking over – without ever being acknowledged. The same is for looking after the elderly too.

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    Mute Clare Power
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    Jan 13th 2025, 10:44 AM

    @Mary Linton: your very judgey there this morning mary…have a coffee….imagine you had to mind your beloved grandkids 5 days a week then you mite moan a bit..

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    Mute Karin Ahlers
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    Jan 13th 2025, 10:47 AM

    @Mary Linton: still, you don’t get the point. It’s not about having fun with your grandchildren, it’s about the affordability of childcare. People cannot afford it because the high costs of living – they are lucky to have grandparents to do it for free and acknowledgement. The society expect us to do it, as they expect from (mostly)women to look after their older parents for the same reasons.

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    Mute Adam J
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    Jan 13th 2025, 8:22 AM

    Even though any assistance for childcare would be too late for me by the time they bring it in, government need to seriously rethink how to assist workers with it, it should be limited to the first 3 children only (apply this to child benefit too), but the assistance should be much more worthwhile for both the parent and the creche workers, we shouldn’t be the worst in EU or even close with the budget surplus we have these days

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    Mute Mary Linton
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    Jan 13th 2025, 8:32 AM

    @Adam J: “limited to the first 3 children only” …… Is it difficult being God? That “one child” policy didn’t work out well in China either

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    Mute FoxyBoiiYT
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    Jan 13th 2025, 9:21 AM

    @Mary Linton: Well actually that would be a 3 child policy……

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    Mute Adam J
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    Jan 13th 2025, 9:35 AM

    @Mary Linton: That’s why I said 3 children, not difficult to comprehend

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    Mute Peter Byrne
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    Jan 13th 2025, 11:17 AM

    @Adam J: I think every worker should pay an extra 1000 Euro a year in tax to pay for Childcare for other people children

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    Mute Gerry Kelly
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    Jan 13th 2025, 10:02 AM

    You can get very affordable childcare if you’ve never worked a day in your life
    In fact families living long-term off social welfare have more kids on average than those where the couple both have jobs
    Our department of “social protection” still has a mindset that we are in the 1980s with high unemployment, and anyone with a job is privileged
    They need to move forward about 40 years

    38
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    Mute Chop Chop
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    Jan 13th 2025, 10:43 AM

    @Gerry Kelly: Idiocracy in action. Intentional lowering of the IQ of the nation.

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    Mute Alex
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    Jan 13th 2025, 11:44 AM

    @Gerry Kelly: Yes it’s crazy. The laziest people don’t even take care of their own kids. While working parents are 500 to 1000€ each month for the same service.

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    Mute Karin Ahlers
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    Jan 13th 2025, 4:14 PM

    @Gerry Kelly: sure somebody has to come up with this. 1. you shouldn’t brush all with the same brush. 2. Ireland has a poverty problem that the government don’t want us to see, thus giving us breadcrumps and blaming the wrong people for their failures. Divide and rule – already the old Romans knew that.

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    Mute Karin Ahlers
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    Jan 13th 2025, 10:54 AM

    This system of private care for people (childcare, schools, nursery homes, hospitals, etc) is just not working. It should not be possible to make profit in these areas. In other European Countries, where this is the case, it works well. Caring for the vulnerable should be not for profit. But this requieres a complete different way of thinking.

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    Mute Caroline O Toole
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    Jan 13th 2025, 4:14 PM

    @Karin Ahlers: are you seriously saying that all childcare should be provided for free? Why should all of society pay for your kids? You have them you pay for them. Simple

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    Mute Karin Ahlers
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    Jan 13th 2025, 6:53 PM

    @Caroline O Toole: I didn’t say that. I.e. in Germany childcare is funded 1/3 by the government, 1/3 by the ‘Traeger’, 1/3 by the parents – ideally. In reality the government pays the most, parents pay the least. Creches are not allowed to make profit – if they do, they will loose that money in funding in the next year. And yes: I am for free childcare (or education for that matter). Children are our future and should get the best possible support from all of us.

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    Mute Joe Beirne
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    Jan 13th 2025, 8:20 AM

    They needed a survey to realise that

    23
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    Mute Athena
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    Jan 13th 2025, 1:27 PM

    @Joe Beirne: So think alternatives: big employers could have on-site creches like they do in other countries, or parents could have live-in nannies or au pairs. Schools could open up pre-school rooms for siblings of enrolled pupils …

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    Mute Chris
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    Jan 13th 2025, 11:26 AM

    Meanwhile 90% of childcare staff is in brackets of 13.50 minimum wage to 15 per hour, while the bosses from head offices shine in their fancy and new cars.

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    Mute Alex
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    Jan 13th 2025, 11:46 AM

    @Chris: Yes. That’s entirely true and the services provided for the price you pay are truly awful.

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    Mute FoxyBoiiYT
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    Jan 13th 2025, 9:22 AM

    Dublin Dublin Dublin
    If you can’t afford to love in Dublin there’s a whole lot of the country outside the Pale. Small rural communities dying from a lack of population

    17
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    Mute Adam J
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    Jan 13th 2025, 9:39 AM

    @FoxyBoiiYT: I honestly thought the establishment of remote workers was going to be a great thing for rural communities, no need for everyone to live here in Dublin, my wife’s hometown in the country was booming just after covid, but it’s dying off again now for some reason

    16
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    Mute Joe Beirne
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    Jan 13th 2025, 9:55 AM

    @Adam J: companies bringing people back to office

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    Mute Alex
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    Jan 13th 2025, 11:45 AM

    @Adam J: Because management likes control so much they don’t want remote working. Many companies still do it tho.

    4
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    Mute D
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    Jan 13th 2025, 9:16 AM

    Tough to live in Dublin – poor quality of life compared to rest of country

    14
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    Mute SerotoninWars
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    Jan 13th 2025, 10:41 AM

    @D: I get what you mean to an extent. There’s definitely a whole other side of life to be enjoyed living somewhere with more walks, nature, cleaner air and close communities. I guess the upside of Dublin is that city buzz and being so close to all the gigs and shows and exhibs that Dublin is spoiled for. If you like your live music for example it’s pretty great. It’s hard to be booking hotels every time you want to get to a gig for example. But I get that this probably gets filed under luxury for many, especially when things like buying a home and having kids come into the equation.

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    Mute Alex
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    Jan 13th 2025, 11:45 AM

    @D: Definitely not. Best private hospitals in the whole country, best schools, best jobs. Low population density overall.

    5
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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Jan 13th 2025, 1:50 PM

    So it is housing, child care etc. Couldn’t possibly be low wages?

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    Mute Shimo F
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    Jan 13th 2025, 6:28 PM

    The other obstacle being accommodation

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