Mpox Outbreak in Ireland Linked to Global Health Concerns

Most recently, the World Health Organization has dubbed the outbreak of mpox a “public health emergency of international concern,” a status previously associated with devastating health crises such as Ebola and COVID-19. Al Jazeera News states that as a variety of African nations declare a rapid growth in mpox incidents across the continent, the disease seems to have successfully surpassed its borders. Additionally, the alarming sign of the virus spreading beyond the continent is the linkage of a recent case of an mpox-affected citizen of Sweden to the current outbreak in Africa.

In Ireland, the Health Service Executive confirmed the occurrence of nearly 250 mpox cases since May 31, 2022, when the first mpox patient was identified. All four newly confirmed cases, registered this year, have been primarily associated with the clade II strain of mpox and were transmitted to Irish nationals, the majority of whom are men who have sex with men (MSM), during the 2022 global surge. The health service declares that a rapid increase in the number of the mpox-affected has been registered recently, and, I think, it is proof that the workforce of the Irish healthcare system has to be ready to effectively handle this potent virus and curb its spread.