The World Health Organization might declare an international public health emergency regarding a new strain of mpox currently spreading in Africa.

Science reported that the new strain is spreading via sex, and it is killing approximately 3% of those infected.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted on X on Sunday that he is considering convening an advisory committee to discuss the idea of declaring an emergency.

"As a deadlier strain of #mpox spreads to multiple African countries, @WHO, @AfricaCDC, local governments and partners are further scaling up the response to interrupt disease transmission. But more funding and support for a comprehensive response are needed," he wrote.

"I am considering convening an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee to advise me on whether the outbreak of mpox should be declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)," his X post continued.

Outbreaks have been reported in 15 countries, though the vast majority of cases are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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