The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the mpox outbreaks in DR Congo and elsewhere in Africa a global emergency, with cases confirmed among children and adults in more than a dozen countries and a new form of the virus spreading.

Earlier this week, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced that the mpox outbreaks were a public health emergency, with more than 500 deaths, and called for international help to stop the virus’ spread.

"This is something that should concern us all ... The potential for further spread beyond Africa and beyond is very worrying,” said WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Scientists from Africa CDC say they are alarmed by the speed at which a new strand of mpox has been spreading.

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The virus, which can cause lesions across the whole body, has spread to other African countries, including Burundi, the Central African Republic (CAR) Kenya and Rwanda.

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The Africa CDC previously said that mpox, also known as monkeypox, has been detected in 13 countries this year, and that more than 96% of all cases and deaths are in DR Congo.

Cases are up 160% and deaths are up 19% compared with the same period last year.

So far, there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths.