NewsWHO convenes emergency committee to address monkeypox spread

WHO convenes emergency committee to address monkeypox spread

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - OCTOBER 11: Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a ceremony on New funding, to protect 370 million children from polio every year in the Berlaymont, the EU Commission headquarter on October 11, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. Today, the European Commission, the European Investment Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a new financing partnership to address critical global health opportunities: eradicating polio and ensuring that innovations in health are more accessible to the people who need them most. The World Health Organization and UNICEF, as implementing partners for the polio funding, will deploy the resources to eradicate polio, support the distribution of other childhood immunizations and strengthen health systems so they are better able to respond to emerging health threats. (Photo by Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - OCTOBER 11: Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a ceremony on New funding, to protect 370 million children from polio every year in the Berlaymont, the EU Commission headquarter on October 11, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. Today, the European Commission, the European Investment Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a new financing partnership to address critical global health opportunities: eradicating polio and ensuring that innovations in health are more accessible to the people who need them most. The World Health Organization and UNICEF, as implementing partners for the polio funding, will deploy the resources to eradicate polio, support the distribution of other childhood immunizations and strengthen health systems so they are better able to respond to emerging health threats. (Photo by Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)
Images source: © GETTY | Thierry Monasse
Paweł Buczkowski

8 August 2024 18:18

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it will convene an Emergency Committee regarding the monkeypox outbreak. There are rising concerns about the spread of this virus from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to other African countries and beyond.

So far, the monkeypox virus has mainly been active in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where, according to WHO data, since the beginning of the year, it has infected over 14,000 people and has been responsible for 511 deaths. This disease has long been present in the DRC, but in recent years, cases have gradually increased.

The current outbreak is caused by a virus referred to as clade 1b. In the last month alone, 50 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

- In light of the spread of mpox outside (the Democratic Republic of Congo) DRC, and the potential for further international spread within and outside Africa, I have decided to convene an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations to advise me on whether the outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern - said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of WHO.

He added that the committee will be formed "as soon as possible" and consist of independent experts from various fields.

Monkeypox. What is this disease?

Monkeypox is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by a virus that can be transmitted from human to human. It is characterized by fever, headache, muscle aches, and a rash that resembles pimples, making it difficult to distinguish from chickenpox. This disease most commonly occurs in Africa.

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