News
WORLD | May 11, 2023

WHO declares end to mpox public health emergency

/ Our Today

administrator
Reading Time: < 1 minute
A vial of Monkeypox vaccine is seen at a vaccination centre in Nice, France. (File Photo: REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)

(Reuters)

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday (May 11), that mpox was no longer a global health emergency, ending a near year-long alert for the viral disease that led to confirmed cases in more than a hundred countries.

The organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern in July 2022 and backed its stand in November and February.

The WHO tag is designed to trigger a coordinated international response and unlock funding to collaborate on sharing of vaccines and treatments.

Test tubes labelled “Monkeypox virus positive” are seen in this illustration taken May 23, 2022 (FIle Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic)

More than 87,000 mpox cases have been confirmed globally from the beginning of 2022 through May 8 this year, according to WHO’s latest report.

Although WHO had earlier in the year noted a sustained decline in the number of reported cases, it had also expressed concerns about a possible resurgence in some regions and persisting transmission in some countries.

Comments

What To Read Next