As of: 07/23/2022 8:23 p.m
The decision to declare a public health emergency because of monkeypox was also controversial within the WHO. The fact that their boss decided to do so is probably mainly due to developments in Europe.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in Geneva that the emergency committee had not agreed whether the monkeypox outbreak was a public health emergency of international concern. The World Health Organization nevertheless decided to declare an international health emergency. Because, according to the WHO chief, the number of confirmed cases of monkeypox has multiplied since the end of June. “There are now more than 16,000 reported cases in 75 countries and territories, and five deaths,” Tedros said.
Risk of further international diversification
Monkeypox is a variant of human pox, which has been eradicated for a good 40 years. It is usually a mild viral infection with symptoms such as fever, headache and skin rashes. In the past, the disease occurred almost exclusively in West and Central Africa. That is why the WHO is concerned about the current outbreak in dozens of countries.
The WHO estimates the risk of smallpox as moderate worldwide, said Tedros – with the exception of Europe. There is a high risk of further spread. There is also a clear risk of further international diversification. The outbreak has spread rapidly around the world through unknown routes of transmission – hence the decision that the global monkeypox outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.
“It’s not our first appeal”
It is the WHO’s highest alert level. The aim is to persuade the governments of the member countries to take the outbreak seriously and take measures to contain the spread of the disease. The head of WHO’s crisis emergencies programme, Mike Ryan, called the decision a call to action:
It’s not our first appeal. WHO has been highly active since day one of the unusual monkeypox outbreak. The task now is to intensify the measures. The world must act – united. Today’s decision means we must step on the gas to get this disease under control.
Tedros warns against stigmatization
With the right strategies in the right groups, the outbreak can be stopped, emphasized WHO boss Tedros. Because right now, monkeypox infections are focused on men who have sex with men.
It is now important that all countries take effective measures specifically for these groups of people to protect “the health, human rights and dignity of the affected communities”, said Tedros. Because, according to the WHO Director-General, stigmatization and discrimination could be as dangerous as any virus.
WHO declares international public health emergency over monkeypox
Kathrin Hondl, ARD Geneva, July 23, 2022 5:31 p.m