GENEVA - The World Health Organization will convene a meeting of its Emergency Committee next week to determine whether mpox remains a global health crisis, it said in a statement on Monday.

In August, the disease which continues to spread in Africa was classified by the UN health body as a public health emergency of international concern, which represents the highest form of alert. This followed the spread of a new variant of the virus, called clade Ib, in parts of the continent.

ALSO READ: Mpox cases on African continent show 500% increase year-on-year

There have been 46,794 confirmed and suspected cases in Africa this year through Nov 3, including 1,081 deaths, the WHO said in a report issued on Monday. The most affected country is the Democratic Republic of Congo, followed by Burundi and Uganda, it said.

READ MORE: Vaccine doses allocated for nine African countries hardest hit by mpox

Mpox can spread through close contact. Usually mild, it is fatal in rare cases. It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body. Initial vaccine doses were allocated this month for the nine African countries hardest hit.