WHO Chief reminds that mpox remains a public emergency — MercoPress

WHO Chief reminds that mpox remains a public emergency

“I call on affected countries to step up their response,” Tedros insisted

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reminded in a post on X that mpox remains a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) after an emergency committee meeting held on Friday.

“My decision is based on the increasing number and continued geographic spread of cases, operational challenges, and the need to establish and maintain a concerted response across countries and partners,” he wrote. “I call on affected countries to step up their responses and stand in solidarity with the international community to help us end the epidemics,” he added.

In August, WHO announced that the mpox scenario on the African continent constituted a PHEIC due to the risk of global spread and a potential new epidemic. At a press conference in Geneva at the time, Ghebreyesus noted that mpox outbreaks have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo for more than a decade and that infections have increased in recent years. In July 2022, the organization declared a global emergency for mpox due to the emergence of the disease in many countries.

Mpox (formerly called “monkeypox”) is a viral zoonotic disease. Transmission to humans can occur through contact with infected wild animals, people infected with the virus, and contaminated materials. Symptoms often include rashes or skin lesions, swollen lymph nodes (lymph nodes), fever, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue.

Lesions may be flat or slightly raised, filled with clear or yellowish fluid. They can form crusts that dry out and fall off. The number of lesions can range from a few to thousands. The rash is usually concentrated on the face, palms, and soles of the feet, but can also occur anywhere on the body, including the mouth, eyes, genitals, and anus.

(Source: Agencia Brasil)