On Wednesday, August 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a Public health emergency of international concern (USPPI) in the face of the active circulation of clade I Mpox in Central Africa. To date, no contamination by clade I (clade I is more transmissible and more lethal than clade II) has been recorded in France. The national reference center is however mobilized to analyze the type of strains in people for whom a diagnosis of MPOX has been established. Furthermore, since the 2022 epidemic (active circulation of clade II), the State has had an effective response strategy to an Mpox epidemic, in terms of prevention, rapid diagnosis, management of cases and contacts, and vaccination.
We are taking stock of the situation.
The USPPI declared by the WHO, in a context where several epidemics are raging in different countries with different strains and different levels of risk, aims to call for the establishment of an effective, coordinated and united international response. In this sense, the Ministry of Labor, Health and Solidarity (MTSS) is preparing to be solicited by European and international health authorities for donations of vaccines and treatments. The risk of infection by a clade I Mpox virus for the European population is currently considered low by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). As in Sweden, this does not prevent it from being likely that cases will be declared in France, for which the health authorities will put in place appropriate management measures. The effort to donate to the most affected countries on the African continent contributes to our overall strategy to protect our fellow citizens by helping to control infectious outbreaks.
Since the 2022 epidemic, the health authorities have had a response strategy for an Mpox epidemic, in terms of surveillance, prevention, rapid diagnosis, case and contact management, and vaccination. In particular, this response is based on raising awareness among the populations most at risk as defined by Public Health France, on a reactive and preventive vaccination strategy for these populations and on rapid diagnostic means throughout the territory. This strategy is currently being reassessed in conjunction with the health agencies to ensure that it is fully effective against clade I. The health authorities will develop the epidemic response strategy in close collaboration with health professionals and representatives of users of the health system.
In terms of surveillance, infections by orthopoxviruses including Mpox are subject to ongoing surveillance by the Mandatory Declaration system and by the characterization of viral strains by the National Reference Center (NRC) for Orthopoxviruses. Given the current alert, surveillance of these infections has been strengthened by Public Health France.
Today, in France, no deaths from clade I have yet been recorded. Since the 2022 epidemic, it is the clade II virus that has been circulating quietly, with a monthly number of reported cases varying between 12 and 26 between January and June 2024.
