WHO says monkeypox is not an international public health emergency, but it should continue to be monitored
The WHO convened an emergency committee meeting on Thursday to discuss the severity of the monkeypox outbreak. The results of the meeting were announced on Saturday.
“Overall, in their report, they (the emergency committee) advised me that at this time the event is not a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, this is a level of caution.” The highest report WHO could issue, but acknowledged that convening the commission itself reflects growing concern about the international spread of monkeypox,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement released on Saturday.
Tedros on Thursday called for increased surveillance for monkeypox, warning that “while men who have sex with men are most affected in these new outbreaks, those who are immune system, pregnant women and children are also at risk for severe illness if they become infected.”
Tedros said healthcare workers are also at risk if they don’t wear the right personal protective equipment during his opening remarks.
Last week, Tedros said “the virus is behaving unusually compared to how it has been in the past” and as more countries are affected, a coordinated response is needed.
Saturday’s statement acknowledged a “developing health threat” that the WHO will monitor extremely closely.
What is a public health emergency of international concern?
WHO defines a public health emergency of international concern, or PHEIC, as “an unusual event” that constitutes a “public health risk to other States due to the spread of disease”. international” and “likely to require a coordinated international response.”
This definition comes from the International Health Regulations, established in 2005 and represents a legal agreement involving 196 countries with the aim of helping the international community to prevent and respond to health risks. public health has the potential to spread globally.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes the regulations as “a legally binding agreement of 196 countries to build capacity to detect and report public health emergencies.” potential worldwide. The IHR requires all countries to have the ability to detect, assess, report, and respond to public health events.”
There are two emergencies going on: polio, which started in 2014 and Covid-19, which started in 2020.
Four other PHEICs have been published since the regulations were introduced: H1N1 flu from 2009 to 2010, Ebola from 2014 to 2016 and 2019 to 2020, and Zika virus in 2016. .
There have been more than 3,200 confirmed cases of monkeypox and one death reported to WHO in 48 countries between January 1, 2022 and June 15, 2022, Tedros said. know in the opening remarks.
According to the situation update, the death occurred in Nigeria.
Tedros stressed the importance of countries sharing information with WHO.
“In other outbreaks, we sometimes see the consequences of countries not being transparent, not sharing information,” he said. “We need case detection, contact tracing, laboratory investigations, genome sequencing, and infection prevention and control measures; we need information on virus subgroups,” he said. monkeypox; We need clear case definitions to help identify and report infections; And we need all countries to stay vigilant and strengthen their capacity to prevent prevent further transmission of smallpox in monkeys.It is likely that many countries will miss the opportunity to identify cases, including community cases, without any recent travel. “
Smallpox in monkeys is a rare disease and a less serious cousin to the now eradicated smallpox virus.
It is endemic to regions of west and central Africa and is usually transmitted by rodents or small mammals. It is not easily spread from person to person.
However, monkeypox virus can be spread through contact with body fluids, smallpox sores in monkeys, or items such as clothing and bedding that are contaminated with the virus. It can also be spread from person to person through respiratory droplets, often in close quarters, according to the CDC.
CNN’s Keith Allen contributed to this report.
