WHO urges rapid access to mpox diagnostic tests, invites manufacturers to emergency review

GENEVA, Aug 30: WHO has asked manufacturers of mpox in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) to submit an expression of interest for Emergency Use Listing (EUL). WHO has been in ongoing discussions with manufacturers about the need for effective diagnostics, particularly in low-income settings. The request for EUL expressions of interest by manufacturers is the latest development in these discussions.

Testing is key for people to get treatment and care as early as possible and prevent further spread. Since 2022, WHO has delivered around 150 000 diagnostic tests for mpox globally, of which over a quarter have gone to countries in the African Region. In the coming weeks, WHO will deliver another 30 000 tests to African countries.

With as many as 18,000 suspected cases reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone this week, the demand for diagnostic tests is on the rise. In this heavily affected country, WHO has worked with partners to scale up diagnostic capacity to respond to the upsurge of cases.

Since May 2024, six additional labs have been equipped to diagnose mpox, enabling a decentralization of testing capacity from major cities to affected provinces. Two of these labs are in South Kivu, selected to respond to the outbreak of the new viral strain, called Ib. Thanks to these efforts, testing rates have dramatically improved in the country, with four times as many samples tested in 2024 so far as compared to 2023.

WHO has also updated its diagnostic testing guidance to detect the new virus strain and is working with countries to roll it out. Earlier, WHO issued target product profiles to guide manufacturers in the development of new diagnostic tests.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared on 14 August 2024 that the upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and in a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005).

Manufacturers of IVDs are now asked to submit available quality, safety and performance data to WHO as soon as they can. IVDs are tests done in laboratories to detect a pathogen. Detection of viral DNA by PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) testing is the gold standard for mpox diagnosis. It detects the virus's DNA in samples taken from skin lesions, such as fluid or crusts from vesicles or pustules. Testing of blood is not recommended for routine diagnosis and antibody detection methods may be used for retrospective case classification but not for diagnosis.

Through the EUL procedure, WHO can approve medical products such as vaccines, tests and treatments for use, evaluating the acceptability of using specific products for time-limited procurement in emergency situations. The process aims to assist countries, which have not approved the medical products through national approval processes, to procure the critically needed products such as tests through UN agencies and other partners.

Mpox is an illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus, that can be transmitted to humans through contacts with someone who is infectious, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals.

Expanding access to diagnostic services is urgently needed as tests are essential to critical measures such as strengthened laboratory capacity, improved case investigation, contact tracing, surveillance data collection, and timely reporting. As a package, these help countries identify chains of transmission, detect cases early, prevent further spread, and monitor the virus in real-time. The establishment of Emergency Use Listing procedures for mpox diagnostic tests will help advance towards this goal.

Singapore Detects 13 Cases Of Mpox Clade 2 Infection

SINGAPORE, Aug 22: Singapore has detected 13 cases of mpox Clade 2 infections this year, the health ministry said in a bulletin on Thursday.

To date, all mpox infections in the city state have been the "less severe" Clade 2 infections, it added.

Earlier on Thursday, Thailand confirmed an mpox case reported this week was the Clade 1b strain of the virus, the second confirmed case of the variant outside of Africa. Clade 1b has triggered global concern due to the ease with which it spreads though routine close contact.

The World Health Organization declared the recent outbreak of the disease a public health emergency of international concern after the new variant was identified.

Mpox scare! Vaccinations to be rolled out within days in THESE countries as cases surge 100%

ADDIS ABABA, Aug 21: The mpox vaccination drive will begin within a few days, according to Africa's top public health agency. According to a report, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Tuesday said the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other African countries would most likely administer the mpox vaccine within days.

Africa's health agency has been working with countries dealing with mpox outbreaks. "We didn't start vaccinations yet. We'll start in a few days, if we are sure that everything is in place. End of next week, vaccines will start to arrive in DRC and other countries," said Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya.

This comes after the World Health Organization declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years on August 19.

The drive to roll out vaccine doses involves working on logistics and communication strategies with international partners, including European Union, vaccine maker Bavarian Nordic, the United States and Japan before being implemented. The decision on vaccination comes in the backdrop of rapidly spreading new variants of the disease in Africa.

Jean Kaseya added, "We need to make sure that the supply chain management, the logistics are ready...to ensure that this vaccine will be safely stored and can be safely administered to people who need them," reported Reuters.

While shots will be administered in the African continent, studies on the efficacy of different vaccines will continue, the Africa CDC Director General said. This will be done to better understand which shots are appropriate in their context.

It is important to note that African states reported over 1,400 additional mpox cases last week. The number of total cases reported were around 19,000 in the 12 African countries where mpox has been detected this year, according to Africa CDC data. As compared with the same period last year, the number of mpox cases is on the rise by as much as 100%.

Mpox refers to a viral infection that causes pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms. The flu symptoms are usually mild but deadly at the same time. According to reports, more than one strain is spreading simultaneously in Africa.

Indian Airports, Borders On Alert As Global Mpox Cases Rise

NEW DELHI, Aug 19: The Centre has informed the authorities in airports, ports and borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan to remain alert about incoming international passengers who show monkeypox (mpox) symptoms, sources said. Mpox has been spreading around the world.

Three state-run hospitals have been selected as the key facilities in Delhi to quarantine, manage and treat mpox patients. They are Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, and Lady Hardinge Hospital.

The Centre has asked all states to keep hospitals ready to handle mpox cases. These hospitals should be designated as nodal centres and the information given to the public, sources said.

PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chaired a meeting on Sunday to review the country's preparedness for mpox amid enhanced surveillance for prompt detection.

Officials said no mpox case has been reported from the country at present. According to assessment, the risk of a large outbreak with sustained transmission is low, they said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern in view of its prevalence and spread across many parts of Africa.

"The virus strain this time is different and is more virulent and infectious. But the risk of a large outbreak with sustained transmission is low in the country as per the current assessment," it has been reported.

The Health Ministry has ordered officials to ensure the network of testing laboratories is ready for early diagnosis of the disease. At present, 32 laboratories in the country are equipped for testing mpox.

An earlier statement from WHO said 99,176 cases and 208 deaths have been reported due to mpox from 116 countries since 2022.

Mpox cases have been steadily increasing in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Last year, the number of reported cases around the world increased significantly. This year, the number of cases reported so far has already exceeded last year's total, with more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths.

Since 2022, at least 30 mpox cases have been reported from India. The last case of mpox was detected in March this year.

WHO Declares Mpox Global Health Emergency For Second Time In 2 Years

GENEVA, Aug 14: The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighbouring countries.

Mpox can spread through close contact. Usually mild, it is fatal in rare cases. It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body.

Determining a disease outbreak as a "public health emergency of international concern" or PHEIC - the WHO's highest level of alert - can accelerate research, funding and international public health measures and co-operation to contain a disease.

The outbreak in Congo began with the spread of an endemic strain, known as clade I. But a new variant, clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual contact. It has spread from Congo to neighbouring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, triggering the action from the WHO.

"It's clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Earlier this week, Africa's top public health body declared an mpox emergency for the continent after warning that the viral infection was spreading at an alarming rate.

More than 17,000 suspected mpox cases and 517 deaths have been reported on the African continent so far this year, a 160% increase in cases compared to the same period last year, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said. A total of 13 countries have reported cases.

A different form of the mpox virus - clade IIb - spread globally in 2022, largely through sexual contact among men who have sex with men. This prompted the WHO to declare a public health emergency then, which it ended 10 months later.

Breakthrough As Finland Researchers Develop New Algorithm To Predict Sudden Cardiac Death

TAMPERE, July 1: Despite advancements in prevention and treatment, sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains a leading cause of mortality and is responsible for approximately half of all deaths from cardiovascular disease worldwide.

Now, a team of researchers from Tampere University in Finland have found a new method for identifying cardiac rhythms associated with imminent heart failure.

According to a report by Science Alert, the new algorithm makes use of a particular metric called detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA2 a1), which can detect changes in heart rate variability over time.

In a study tracking 2,794 adults over approximately 8.3 years, researchers determined that DFA2 a1 serves as a robust predictor of SCD. This association proved most pronounced during periods of rest, contrasting with its impact during physical exertion.

"The most interesting finding of the study is the identification of differences specifically during measurements at rest. The characteristics of heart rate intervals of high-risk patients at rest resemble those of a healthy heart during physical exertion," Tampere University physicist Teemu Pukkila explained.

The team employed statistical analysis methods to establish a link between DFA a1 patterns and occurrences of SCD. Their approach involved accounting for the influence of crucial variables such as age and pre-existing heart conditions.

Significantly, the metric can be assessed in just a minute, using sensors small and uncomplicated enough to be integrated into a smartwatch. This development eliminates the need for clinic visits or complex scans to evaluate an individual's risk of SCD.

"Accelerometers in wearable consumer devices can easily distinguish between the states of physical activity and rest and perform the measurement when applicable," researchers wrote in their paper.

The new predictive algorithm is said to be more accurate than current methods, which usually focus on assessing cardiorespiratory fitness.

What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

'Sudden Cardiac Arrest' (SCA) as the name suggests - is where a patient is stable with a stable heart function an hour before the terminal event (namely Cardiac Arrest). The sudden stoppage of the heartbeat is due to disruption in the rate and rhythm of the electrical system of the heart, impairing the heart's ability to pump blood, which causes them to lose consciousness and their ability to breathe.

SCD, or sudden cardiac death, differs from heart attacks in its cause: while heart attacks stem from restricted blood flow to the heart, SCD results from the heart being overwhelmed by abrupt electrical impulses. It can also occur in a young and outwardly healthy person, for example, in connection with strenuous sports.