The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global health emergency due to the spread of monkeypox.
Update, 4:20 p.m .: The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the monkeypox outbreak in more than 50 countries to be an “emergency of international concern”. This was announced by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press conference on Saturday. The classification is intended to raise the awareness of the member countries, but has no direct practical consequences, because the governments themselves decide on any measures in their countries.
According to the CDC, two cases of monkeypox in children have now been confirmed in the United States. Both were detected this week, CDC Deputy Chief of High-Risk Pathogens and Pathology Jennifer McQuiston said on Friday evening (July 22 local time). There are now more than 2,800 confirmed cases in the United States.
A health emergency has only been declared six times so far – most recently because of Corona
First report: Geneva – WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will hold a virtual press conference at 3 p.m., as the Geneva-based organization announced on Friday evening. He will announce the outcome of Thursday’s WHO Emergency Committee meeting.
At their first emergency meeting on monkeypox in June, the experts advised the WHO Secretary-General against declaring the highest alert level. Since then, however, the cases of infection have continued to spread. According to the US health authority CDC, more than 15,800 cases have now been registered in 72 countries. Tedros said he was “concerned” about the increase in cases at the emergency committee’s almost six-hour meeting on Thursday (July 21).
The health emergency has only been declared six times, most recently in January 2020 due to the rapid spread of the then still new corona virus. An “emergency of international concern,” to use the official term, is declared for a “serious, sudden, unusual and unexpected” health problem that may spread to other countries. This activates international measures. The decision rests with WHO chief Tedros.
A less dangerous cousin of smallpox, which was eradicated about 40 years ago, monkeypox is commonly found in West and Central Africa. Since May, however, monkeypox has also been spreading to other countries, especially in Western Europe, including Germany. The Standing Committee on Vaccination (Stiko) already recommends vaccination against monkeypox.
According to the study, monkeypox is mainly transmitted through sexual contact
Typical symptoms of the disease include high fever, swollen lymph nodes and pustules similar to chickenpox. The disease is transmitted through close body and skin contact. According to a study published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, 95 percent of cases can be traced back to infection through sexual contact. (dpa)
