WHO Restates Mpox As Global Health Emergency

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reaffirmed that the ongoing surge in Mpox cases continues to meet the criteria for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), as defined by the International Health Regulations (IHR).

WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus stated this in a statement, following the fourth meeting of the IHR Emergency Committee on the Mpox situation, on June 5.

According to Dr. Ghebreyesus, the committee acknowledged improvements in response capacities in some countries but maintained that the outbreak still constitutes a PHEIC.

He attributed the committee’s position to the sustained increase in case numbers, including a recent spike in West Africa, and the possibility of ongoing, undetected transmission in some countries beyond the African continent.

“Ongoing operational challenges in responding to the event, including concerning surveillance and diagnostics, as well as a lack of funding, make prioritising response interventions challenging and require continued international support,” Ghebreyesus stated.

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The WHO chief agreed with the committee’s assessment and issued updated temporary recommendations for countries currently experiencing Mpox outbreaks.

These recommendations were intended to help guide national efforts in preventing and containing the disease.

Ghebreyesus noted that the full report of the committee’s fourth meeting would be published in the third week of June.

He recalled that the Mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its subsequent spread to neighbouring countries was declared a PHEIC on August 14, 2024.

Since then, the committee has met thrice, consistently advising that the situation still warrants the PHEIC designation.

“The upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its spread to neighbouring countries was first determined to be PHEIC by Ghebreyesus on Aug. 14, 2024.

“Since then, the committee has met on three additional occasions, each time advising the director general that the event continues to constitute a PHEIC,” he said.