The White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy and the National Security Council convened a high-level roundtable discussion on Monday to address the growing concerns surrounding the monkeypox outbreak. The meeting was prompted by the rising number of cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the potential for the virus to spread beyond the African continent.
The discussion centered on the clade I strain of monkeypox, which is currently the most concerning due to its endemic presence in the DRC. The Biden-Harris administration emphasized its commitment to global mpox response and domestic preparedness efforts, with Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall stating that the U.S. will continue to lead the way in responding to biological threats.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the current outbreak has resulted in over 27,000 suspected cases and more than 1,300 deaths as of September 2024. The White House meeting brought together officials from multiple federal agencies, advocacy groups, and organizations to analyze and evaluate preventive measures and proactive planning in the event of a significant expansion of the outbreak.
Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer emphasized the importance of the U.S. taking a leadership role in preventing and responding to health emergencies, stating that the country’s actions have the potential to change the course of the global response to the clade I mpox outbreak. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, its highest global alert level, and has expressed concerns about the potential for the virus to spread across Africa and beyond.
While there are currently no known cases of clade I monkeypox in the United States, the White House meeting was a proactive step in preparing for any potential emergency. The discussion aimed to establish the nation’s leadership role in the global mpox response and identify efforts to bolster domestic preparedness and improve U.S. readiness for a clade I mpox case. The government is taking every precaution necessary to ensure that the U.S. can rapidly detect, contain, and manage clade I cases should they occur.
