WHO says Monkeypox is not a Global Health Emergency

The fast spread of Monkeypox across dozens of countries, according to the World Health Organization on Saturday, does not now constitute a global health emergency. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, identified Monkeypox as a changing health hazard and encouraging countries all around the globe to increase monitoring, contact tracing, testing, and making sure that those at high risk have access to vaccinations and antiviral medications.

The WHO’s emergency committee met to assess the threat that Monkeypox now represents to the global population. According to WHO data, more than 50 nations have reported at least 3,000 cases of Monkeypox since early May. The committee debated whether to trigger the WHO’s highest alert level, known as a public health emergency of worldwide significance. The two previous viral outbreaks recognised as international public health emergencies by the WHO are covid-19 and polio.

Tedros said the epidemic raises severe concerns since it is spreading quickly in nations where the virus is not typically seen, even though the WHO did not trigger its highest warning level. In isolated areas of West and Central Africa, Monkeypox has historically spread at low rates. It is quite rare because 84 percent of the cases in the current outbreak that have been recorded globally are in Europe.

In a press release on Saturday, Tedros said that the rapid, ongoing spread into new nations and regions and the risk of further, sustained transmission into vulnerable populations, such as those who are immunocompromised, pregnant women, and children, make the current outbreak particularly worrisome.