The World Health Organization said the escalation of the monkeypox outbreak in more than 50 countries should be closely monitored, but does not guarantee a global health emergency will be declared.
In a statement on Saturday, a WHO emergency committee said many aspects of the outbreak were “unusual” and acknowledged that monkeypox, which is endemic in some African countries, has been neglected for years.
“While a number of members expressed differing views, the committee decided by consensus to advise the Director-General of WHO that at this stage it should be determined that the outbreak did not constitute” a global health emergency, “the WHO said. in a statement.
However, the WHO noted the “emergency nature” of the outbreak and said controlling its spread requires an “intense” response.
The committee said the outbreak should be “closely monitored and reviewed in a few weeks.” But I would recommend a reassessment before then if certain new developments arise, such as cases between sex workers, spreading to other countries or within countries that have already had cases, increasing the severity of cases, or increasing the rate of spread. .
MIRAR | The WHO calls on nations to stop the spread of monkeypox:
The WHO urges nations to help stop the spread of monkeypox
The World Health Organization warns that the monkeypox virus could spread to non-endemic countries if they do not control the current outbreak.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus convened the emergency committee on Thursday after expressing concern over the monkeypox epidemic in countries that had not previously reported the disease.
“What makes the current epidemic particularly worrying is the rapid and continuous spread to new countries and regions and the risk of additional and sustained transmission to vulnerable populations, including immunocompromised people, pregnant women and children,” he said. head of the WHO.
Global increase in cases
Monkeypox has been ill for decades in Central and West Africa, but until last month, the disease was not known to cause significant outbreaks in several countries at once and involve people without travel links to the continent.
Declaring a global health emergency means that a health crisis is an “extraordinary” event that requires a globally managed response and that a disease has a high risk of spreading across borders. The WHO has previously made similar statements for diseases such as COVID-19, Ebola in the Congo and West Africa, Zika in Brazil and the ongoing effort to eliminate polio.
The declaration of emergency serves primarily as a plea to attract more global resources and attention on an outbreak. Previous announcements have had a different impact, as the WHO is largely powerless when it tries to convince countries to act.
MIRAR | Quebec health officials are working to contain the outbreak:
Quebec health officials are working to contain the monkey’s smallpox outbreak
Quebec health officials are working to contain the province’s monkeypox outbreak, as the focus is on keeping people safe during summer meetings.
The WHO said this week that it has confirmed more than 3,200 monkeypox infections in some 40 countries that had not previously reported the disease. More than 80% of cases are in Europe.
Scientists warn that anyone who is in close physical contact with someone infected with smallpox or their clothes or sheets is at risk of contracting the disease, regardless of their sexual orientation.
People with monkeypox often experience symptoms such as fever, body aches, and rash; most recover in a few weeks without the need for medical attention.
Rich-poor division
Smallpox in Africa mainly affects people who come in contact with infected wild animals, such as rodents or primates. Some 1,500 cases of monkeypox, including 70 deaths, have been reported in Congo, Cameroon and the Central African Republic.
So far, scientists have not found any mutations in the monkeypox virus that suggest it is more transmissible or lethal, although the number of changes detected show that the virus has probably spread undetected for years. .
The version of the disease that is transmitted beyond Africa usually has a mortality rate of less than one percent, while the version seen in Africa can kill up to 10 percent of those affected.
MIRAR | What is it like to recover from smallpox:
What is it like to recover from smallpox
A Toronto resident shares his experience recovering from monkeypox, while officials and advocates say more support is needed for patients during the long weeks of isolation.
The WHO is also creating a vaccine exchange mechanism for monkeypox, which could see vaccines in rich countries like Britain, which currently has the largest outbreak beyond Africa.
Some experts warned that this could consolidate the deep inequalities observed between rich and poor countries during the coronavirus pandemic.
“France, Germany, the US and the UK already have a lot of resources and a lot of vaccines to do that and they don’t need WHO vaccines,” said Dr Irwin Redlener, an expert in disaster preparedness and response at the University of Columbia. .
“What we should do is try to help the countries in Africa where monkeypox has been endemic and largely neglected,” he said. “Monkey pox is not COVID, but our attention should not be so distorted that it only becomes a problem when seen in rich countries.”