Monkeypox has been declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization, the highest alert it can issue.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the monkeypox outbreak has “rapidly” spread around the world.
“For all of these reasons, I have decided that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern”, Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, announced on Saturday during a press conference.
Tedros indicated that there is a moderate risk to countries globally but a high risk for people in Europe where cases are high.
“There is also a clear risk of further international spread, although the risk of interference with international traffic remains low for the moment”, he added.
Currently, there are more than 16,000 reported cases from 75 countries and territories and five deaths.
69 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in Ireland, according to the latest report from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
Cases of the illness have been increasing since early May outside the West and Central African countries where it has long been endemic.
An emergency committee meeting was held to decide on declaring a global health emergency, but Tedros said a consensus was not reached.
WHO’s chief said that although he was declaring a public health emergency of international concern, for the moment the Monkeypox outbreak is concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners.
“That means that this is an outbreak that can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups”, he explained.
Tedros said that it is essential that all countries work closely with communities of men who have sex with men, to design and deliver effective information and services, and to adopt measures that protect the health, human rights and dignity of affected communities.
“Stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus”, he warned, calling on civil society organisations, including those with experience in working with people living with HIV, to work with the agency on fighting stigma and discrimination.
“With the tools, we have right now, we can stop transmission and bring this outbreak under control”, he highlighted.
The World Health Organization advises nations to take the following actions to combat the monkeypox outbreak: • Implement a coordinated response to stop transmission and protect vulnerable groups; • Engage and protect affected communities; • Intensify surveillance and public health measures; • Strengthen clinical management and infection prevention and control in hospitals and clinics; • Accelerate research into the use of vaccines, therapeutics, and other tools.