Monkeypox Outbreak Declared As Global Health Emergency: WHO

Monkeypox outbreak has been declared as a global health emergency. The emergency committee of the World Health Organisation (WHO) administered the upsurge in the worldwide cases of the virus and classified it as the highest alert.

WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that there have been five deaths since the Monkeypox outbreak. He also mentioned that over 16,000 cases from 75 countries have been administered till now. Only coronavirus and polio have been classified as global health emergencies as of now. Now, the Monkeypox outbreak has also been added to the list, WHO declared.

"The WHO's assessment is that the risk of monkeypox is moderate globally and in all regions, except in the European region, where we assess the risk as high," Ghebreyesus quoted. He also revealed that the emergency committee could not reach a consensus about declaring the outbreak as a global emergency. However, the rapid increase in the number of cases confirmed that the disease is an international concern. The director general also said that there was little known about the new modes of transmission which led to the rapid spread of the virus.

"This is an outbreak that can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups," Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. WHO is also issuing guidelines which can help stop the transmission and protect those at the maximum risk. WHO director general also mentioned that the declaration can possibly speed up the development of vaccines and implementation of preventive measures against the spread.

Monkeypox was first detected in the 1950s in central Africa. According to Dr Ghebreyesus, the disease is mainly concentrated among men who have multiple male sexual partners. So far, there have been over 2,000 confirmed cases in the UK. The health officials are recommending gay and bisexual men along with healthcare workers to be vaccinated. As per reports, Monkeypox does not spread as quickly as coronavirus and a vaccine has already been developed which shows good results.

Suggested Reading: Monkey Pox Symptoms: New Virus Outbreak Worrisome or Containable?

The symptoms of Monkeypox outbreak include high fever, swollen lymph nodes and a blistery, chickenpox-like rash or lesions, on mouth or genitals, as observed in the recent cases, with mild infections.