The U.S. State Department recently released a fact sheet titled “United States Response to the Clade I Mpox Outbreak in Several African Countries,” drawing attention to the growing number of Mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring African nations. The announcement has sparked concerns over its portrayal of the outbreak, with critics pointing out an apparent bias that frames the crisis as predominantly an African issue, despite ongoing cases in other parts of the world.
On August 14, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to the increase in Mpox cases, particularly Clade I, in Africa. This follows a similar declaration by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on August 13, 2024. The U.S. fact sheet outlines the administration’s response efforts, emphasizing the situation in Africa while downplaying or omitting the persistent spread of the disease in the United States and Europe.
The U.S. government has mobilized resources to monitor and respond to Clade I Mpox cases, which are currently centered in Central and Eastern Africa, and has provided significant financial and logistical support to affected countries. According to the State Department, the U.S. has allocated over $55 million to aid the Mpox response in Africa, including donations of 50,000 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine to the DRC and other affected regions.
While the fact sheet highlights the potential risks posed by the Clade I Mpox variant, it notes that there are no known cases of Clade I in the United States at this time. The Biden-Harris Administration has been preparing for any potential domestic cases, building on the infrastructure established during the 2022 Clade IIb Mpox outbreak, which saw over 95,000 cases worldwide, including in the U.S.
Critics, however, argue that the U.S. response and the global media coverage have disproportionately focused on Africa, reinforcing a narrative that frames the continent as the epicenter of the outbreak. This has led to concerns about a resurgence of stigmatizing rhetoric that overlooks the ongoing Mpox cases in the U.S. and Europe.
The fact sheet also underscores the U.S. government’s commitment to a coordinated global response, working with WHO, Africa CDC, and other partners. However, the emphasis on Africa has raised questions about the lack of similar urgency in addressing Mpox outbreaks outside the continent, particularly in Western countries where cases continue to be reported.
As the U.S. continues to support global efforts to combat Mpox, the debate over the framing of the outbreak highlights the need for a balanced approach that acknowledges the disease’s impact across all affected regions.
