Monkey Pox Declared As A Global Health Emergency By WHO After It Spread To Over 70 Countries
Following the rapid
spread of monkey-pox to more than 70 countries the World Health Organization
(WHO) has declared the outbreak to be a global health emergency.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
the Director-General of WHO decided to issue the declaration although all
experts serving in the U.N health agency emergency committee had not agreed to
the decision.
This is the first time the U.N health agency
has taken such action.
'We have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly through
new modes of transmission about which we understand too little and which meets
the criteria in the international health regulations,' Tedros said.
'I
know this has not been an easy or straightforward process and that there are
divergent views among the members of the committee,' he added.
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A global emergency is the highest level of alert for the WHO. But
the designation does not necessarily mean a disease is particularly
transmissible or lethal.
Dr. Michael Ryan WHO's emergency chief said the director-general decided
to put monkeypox in that category to ensure the international community takes
the current outbreaks seriously.
The UN health agency's declaration could spur further investment
in treating the once-rare disease - and also worsen the scramble for scarce
vaccines.
Declaring a global emergency means the Monkeypox outbreak is
an 'extraordinary event' that could spill over into more countries and requires
a coordinated global response.
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