According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the rapidly spreading monkeypox outbreak is a global health emergency, the organization’s highest level of alert.
The WHO designation of a “public health emergency of international concern” is intended to raise awareness that a coordinated global response is required and may mobilise funding and international cooperation on the sharing of vaccines and treatments.
monkeypox outbreaks
Two sources who spoke to Reuters earlier on the condition of anonymity said that the members of an expert committee that met on Thursday to discuss the potential recommendation were divided on the issue, but the director-general of the UN agency has the final say.
Tedros acknowledged that the committee had been unable to come to an agreement, with nine voting against and six voting in favour of the declaration during a press conference in Geneva where he announced his decision to declare the health emergency.
Tedros has historically agreed with expert committee recommendations, but according to the sources, he likely chose to support the highest alert level because of worries about rising case rates and a lack of vaccines and treatments, despite the lack of a consensus.
Following the WHO, Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown Law in Washington, DC, said he admired the organization’s political fortitude.
“It only serves to enhance WHO’s reputation. Declaring an emergency at this time would be a historically significant missed opportunity.
More than 16,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported so far this year in more than 75 different countries, with five fatalities occurring in Africa.
In the most recent outbreak, outside of Africa where it is endemic, the viral disease, which spreads through close contact and typically results in flu-like symptoms and pus-filled skin lesions, has been primarily affecting men who have sex with men.
June gathering
The term had previously only been used to describe the ongoing fight against polio and the coronavirus pandemic.
Scientists and public health professionals have been heavily pressuring the WHO and national governments to do more to combat monkeypox.
Since the committee’s initial meeting at the end of June, when there were only about 3,000 cases, the number of cases of the viral disease has skyrocketed.
The expert group had previously agreed to reevaluate the emergency declaration if the outbreak got worse.
One of the main concerns that prompted a reevaluation was whether cases, which are almost exclusively spreading among men who have sex with men, would spread to other populations, particularly children or those who had previously been vulnerable to the virus in endemic countries.
The country’s first two child cases of monkeypox were discovered on Friday.
The committee had stated that any modifications to the virus itself might also cause a reconsideration.
The sources said that the group is now split between those who believe that a declaration of an emergency would speed up efforts to contain the disease and those who do not believe that the aforementioned conditions have been met because the disease has not yet spread to new populations or had a high fatality rate.
according to previous reports Alarming increases in monkeypox cases, a virus more prevalent in west and central Africa, have been reported in Europe and other places.
According to the World Health Organization, as of Friday, there were about 80 confirmed cases of monkeypox in 11 countries, and an additional 50 cases are being investigated (WHO).
Just how risky is it?
At a press briefing on Friday, a US public health official assured reporters that the risk to the general public is currently low.
The virus that causes monkeypox can produce symptoms like fever, aches, and a recognisable bumpy rash.
It is related to smallpox but typically less severe, especially the West African strain of the virus that was discovered in a US case and has a 1-percent fatality rate. According to the official, most people recover fully in two to four weeks.
The virus is not as contagious as SARS-CoV-2, which caused the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic.
According to experts, the current outbreak of monkeypox is being spread through close, personal skin-to-skin contact with a person who is sporting an active rash. That should make it simpler to control its spread once infections are discovered, according to experts.
“Covid is highly contagious and spreads through the respiratory system. This doesn’t seem to apply to the monkeypox, “said Massachusetts General Hospital’s Dr. Martin Hirsch.
Many of the diagnosed cases of the current monkeypox outbreak, though not all of them, are men who have sex with men, including cases in Spain connected to a sauna in the Madrid area.
Why are health professionals worried?
According to the WHO, the recent outbreaks that have been reported thus far are unusual because they are taking place in nations where the virus does not typically spread. Researchers are trying to figure out where the recent cases came from and whether the virus itself has changed.
The majority of the cases that have been reported thus far were found in the UK, Spain, and Portugal. A single case of monkeypox was confirmed in Boston, and there have also been cases in Canada and Australia. According to public health officials, more cases are likely to emerge in the United States.
WHO officials are worried that more infections could spread as people congregate for celebrations, parties, and holidays in Europe during the upcoming summer.
How can people avoid getting sick?
The UK has started immunising healthcare professionals with the smallpox vaccine, which can also protect against monkeypox, as they may be at risk while providing patient care.
According to the US government, its Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) contains enough smallpox vaccine to immunise the entire US populace.
In certain situations, smallpox antiviral medications may also be used to treat monkeypox, according to a statement from a representative of the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Health officials advise against having close personal contact with anyone who is ill overall or who has a sudden illness. People who think they may have monkeypox should stay home and get medical attention.
