May 12, (THEWILL) – The World Health Organisation (WHO), on Thursday, declared that Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, no longer poses a global public health emergency.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the organisation’s emergency committee on mpox met and recommended the multi-country outbreak no longer represents a public health emergency of international concern, and that he accepted that recommendation.
One major factor in the decision, Tedros cited was a nearly 90% drop in cases of the disease during the last three months compared to the previous three months.
He credited the sharp drop in cases to the work of community organisations and public health authorities around the world.
Tedros, however, warned that mpox continues to pose significant public health challenges that require “a robust, proactive and sustainable response.”
Symptoms of mpox often include a rash that may be located on hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth or near the genitals, as well as fever, chills, and fatigue.
The WHO reported 98% of cases are among men who have sex with other men and can be spread from person to person through sexual contact, kissing, hugging and through contaminated clothing, towels and bed sheets.
In his briefing, Tedros said the misinformed stigma that mpox is a “gay disease”, had been a driving concern in managing the epidemic, adding that it continues to hamper access to care for the disease.
As the outbreak expanded late last year, a trend of racist and stigmatizing language online and in some communities toward the term “monkeypox” was reported to the WHO. After consultations with international experts, the agency adopted mpox as a new, preferred term for the disease.
