WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Leaders from the National Security Council and the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy convened a round-table with Federal agencies, global and domestic public health partners, advocacy organizations, and community leaders to discuss the escalating 'clade I' mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and some other countries that have never before had mpox cases.
'By building on the lessons learned from the mpox outbreak response in 2022, the U.S. will continue to lead the way, globally and domestically, to be more prepared to respond to any biological threat,' said Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall, the Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer and Homeland Security Advisor.
She stressed the need to partner with trusted community organizations, academic researchers, and civil society actors across the international community to promote the dissemination of information, support the early detection of cases, and ensure the rapid deployment of countermeasures.
'Our actions today and in the coming weeks have the potential to change the course of the global clade I mpox response at home and abroad' said Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer.
The meeting affirmed the United States' leadership role in the global mpox response and identified efforts to bolster domestic preparedness and improve U.S. readiness for a clade I mpox case.
While there are no known clade I cases in the U.S. at this time, federal and state leaders are working to ensure that the U.S. can rapidly detect, contain, and manage clade I cases should they occur, the White House said.
Clade IIb mpox, which caused the 2022 global outbreak, continues to circulate at low levels in the United States and in many countries around the world.
The World Health Organization has been continuing discussions with manufacturers about the need for effective diagnostics in the wake of the outbreak of the deadly viral disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring African countries.
WHO last month declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. DR Congo is the worst-affected, with thousands cases and 537 deaths reported so far this year.
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