DUBLIN: The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the escalating monkey pox outbreak in various countries should be closely monitored, but there is no need to declare a global health emergency. Monkey pox has already spread to more than 50 countries.
The assessment was made by an emergency committee convened by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus, following concerns about the epidemic of monkeypox in countries that haven’t previously reported the disease.
WHO said this week it has confirmed more than 3,200 monkeypox infections in about 40 countries that haven’t previously reported the disease. The vast majority of cases are in men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with other men and more than 80% of the cases are in Europe.
A leading WHO adviser said that the increase in cases in Europe was likely tied to sexual activity by men at two raves in Spain and Belgium.
Monkey pox in Africa mostly affects people who come into contact with infected wild animals. About 1,500 cases of monkeypox, including 70 deaths, were reported in Congo, Cameroon and the Central African Republic.