The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday lifted its maximum alert for the monkeypox epidemic, deeming it sufficiently under control. This announcement comes exactly one week after the lifting of the WHO’s highest level of alert for Covid.
The WHO on Thursday lifted its maximum alert level for the monkeypox epidemic (formerly called monkey pox), deeming it sufficiently under control almost a year after the start of its unprecedented outbreak outside endemic areas. This epidemic “no longer represents a public health emergency of international concern”, declared during a press conference the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, thus following the recommendation of the committee. WHO emergency.
>> READ ALSO –
This announcement comes exactly one week after the lifting of the WHO’s highest level of alert for Covid. “While the monkeypox and Covid-19 emergencies are over, the threat of further waves remains for both. Both viruses continue to circulate and both continue to kill,” Dr Tedros warned, however. Outbreaks of monkeypox had been observed, from May 2022, in Europe and the United States, apart from the ten countries in central and western Africa where the disease has long been endemic.
87,400 cases listed in 111 countries
The Public Health Emergency of International Concern was declared on July 23, 2022 by the Director General of the WHO. Since then, the contamination curve has experienced a sharp decline. There have thus been “nearly 90% fewer cases in the last three months compared to the previous three months”, noted Dr. Tedros. So far, around 87,400 cases have been recorded in 111 countries and the disease has claimed 140 lives, according to the latest count, cited by the director general.
The disease – endemic in some West and Central African countries – is characterized by rashes, which may appear on the genitals or in the mouth, and may be accompanied by bouts of fever, sore throat or pain in the lymph nodes.