The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on the 11th (local time) that it lifted the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) for Mpox (monkeypox). It has been 10 months since the PHEIC declaration was made on Mfox in July of last year.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, said at a briefing held on the same day that he was accepting the advice of the expert committee that Mfox no longer constitutes a requirement for the PHEIC declaration. PHEIC is the highest public health alert declaration that WHO can issue. If PHEIC is declared, WHO can support research and funding for disease control, and push forward with international health measures.
Mpox is an infectious disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. According to the WHO, 87,000 cases have been reported in 111 countries, and 140 people have died from the disease. Mpox is endemic to Africa, with the first human case reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970. However, since May last year, it has spread to countries around the world. Symptoms such as high fever and headache appear after an average incubation period of 1 to 2 weeks. One to three days after the onset of symptoms, a chickenpox-like skin rash begins. These symptoms naturally improve after 2 to 4 weeks, but some severe infections may occur.
Due to the fact that Mpox is often infected through sexual contact between men of the same sex, there is a problem of social stigma and discrimination against infected people. Because of this, there were many infected people who hid the fact of infection, and there was an aspect that it was difficult to respond. For this reason, the WHO declared PHEIC for Mfox in July last year.
As for the reasons for the decision to lift PHEIC this time, WHO cited ‘a significant decrease in the number of people infected with Mpox’ and ‘strengthening of outbreak control capabilities in countries around the world’. “The number of Mpox outbreaks in the past three months has decreased by almost 90% compared to the previous three months,” said Tedros, “and steady progress has been made in controlling the spread of Mpox while working with major outbreak areas.”
“As with the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the lifting of the PHEIC for Mpox does not mean that the work is over,” Tedros said. It is still important that we continue to do our best.” He also added, “It is good to respond quickly when an outbreak occurs by integrating prevention and treatment for mfox into the existing health care program.”
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.