WHO Announces Health Emergency Cases Of Monkeypox Disease

Illustration of Monkeypox (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, August 14 stated that monkeypox or mpox as a state of global public health emergency.

The status was announced by WHO for the second time in two years, following the outbreak of this virus infection outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which later spread to neighboring countries.

An emergency committee met earlier on Wednesday to inform WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of whether the disease outbreak was a state of public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

PHEIC status is the WHO's highest level of vigilance aimed at accelerating research, funding, and international public health measures as well as cooperation to overcome a disease.

"It is clear that coordinated international responses are critical to stopping this outbreak and saving lives," Tedros said.

Mpox can spread through close contact. Usually the symptoms are mild, but can be fatal in a number of cases. This disease causes symptoms such as flu and lesions containing pus in the body.

The outbreak in Congo began with the spread of endemic variants, known as klade I. However, the new variant of klade Ib, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual intercourse.

The virus has spread from Congo to neighboring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, which sparked action from WHO.

Tedros said on Wednesday that WHO had issued an emergency fund of US$1.5 million and plans to spend more in the coming days. The WHO's response plan will require an initial US$15 million, and the agency plans to seek funding from donors.

Earlier this week, Africa's highest public health agency declared a MPX emergency for the continent after warning that the virus infection was spreading at an alarming rate, with more than 17,000 suspected cases and more than 500 deaths this year, especially among children in Congo.

Professor Dimie Ogoina, chairman of the WHO's MPx emergency committee, said all members unanimously agreed that the current spike in cases was an extraordinary event with the number of cases hitting a record in Congo.

Vaccines and behavioral changes help stop the spread as different types ofmpox spread globally, especially among men having sex with men, and WHO declared a state of emergency in 2022.