Watch Out! WHO Reveals Monkeypox Outbreak In The World Now Reaches 14,000 Cases, Five People Die In Africa

Illustration of WHO. (Wikimedia Commons/Guilhem Vellut)

JAKARTA - Five people have died from the monkeypox virus in Africa, as the number of cases of the disease worldwide reaches more than 14,000, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.

More than 60 countries where monkeypox is not endemic have reported outbreaks of the viral disease. Monkeypox, which is spread by close contact and was first discovered in monkeys, occurs mostly in the west and central Africa and only occasionally spreads elsewhere.

"Monkeypox remains a serious public health challenge, and we urge contacts to take breaks from activities or events that involve skin contact, including sex, hugging, and kissing, to reduce the risk of unknowingly transmitting the virus," said Dr. Merav Kliner from The UK's Health Safety Agency, launched The National News 20 July.

On Thursday, WHO will convene the second meeting of committees that will decide whether the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, the highest level of alertness.

"Despite the committee's recommendations, WHO will continue to do everything we can to support countries to stop transmission and save lives," said Dr. Tedros.

It is known, this outbreak has made several countries scramble to get a vaccine. On Tuesday, Britain bought 100,000 doses of a vaccine to stop monkeypox as the number of cases across the country rose to more than 2,130, mostly in London.

Earlier, the European Commission said on Monday it had secured about 54,000 additional doses of the monkeypox vaccine developed by the Bavarian Nordic biotech company, as concerns grew over the disease during a spike in cases.

The supply deal follows the initial contract signed in June, when the European Union ordered about 110,000 doses of the Nordic Bavarian vaccine.

"I am concerned about the increasing number of monkeypox cases in the European Union (EU)," said EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides. There are now more than 7,000 cases reported in the EU, she said, an increase of almost 50 percent from last week.

Under the initial order, the EU has so far delivered about 25,000 doses to six member states, the commission said. Vaccines are delivered to prioritized countries based on need and number of cases.