The World Health Organization has declared that Mpox – previously known as Monkeypox – is no longer a global health emergency.
Mpox was declared a public health emergency of international concern in July last year after it spread to 75 countries. Symptoms of the disease include fever, muscle aches and large boil-like skin lesions. In the last three months, there has been a steep decline in infections, with almost 90% fewer cases reported.
The WHO also declared an end to the COVID-19 global health emergency last week but emphasized that governments and citizens should not become complacent. Southeast Asia and the Middle East have seen recent spikes in coronavirus cases, and Mpox still poses a particular threat in parts of Africa, where the disease has long been endemic. The organization says governments need to implement strategies to manage the long-term public health risks of the disease.
“While the emergencies of Mpox and COVID-19 are both over, the threat of resurgent waves remains for both. Both viruses continue to circulate and both continue to kill,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
