What You Need to Know About the WHO Declaring a Global Health Emergency Over Monkeypox Outbreak

On Saturday, July 23rd, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that monkeypox is a public health emergency of international concern. The WHO’s Emergency Committee met in June 2022 to discuss if monkeypox was a public health emergency. At that time it was decided that monkeypox did not meet the requirements of a public health emergency of international concern. At that time there were 3,040 cases of monkeypox from 47 countries that had been reported. The number of monkeypox cases and affected countries has increased since that meeting a month ago. At the time of the Emergency Committee’s July meeting, more than 16,000 monkeypox cases had been reported from 75 counties and five monkeypox deaths.

There are five elements to consider when declaring a public health emergency per the International Health Regulations.

1. Information provided by countries
2. The 3 criteria that have to be met to declare a public health emergency of international concern
3. The advice of the Emergency Committee
4. Scientific evidence
5. Risk to human health, international spread, and possible disruption of international traffic

The Emergency Committee’s assessment showed that globally there is a moderate risk of monkeypox in the majority of regions. The European region is considered high risk. According to the WHO, there is a clear risk of more international spread. The monkeypox outbreak has spread around the world rapidly and the mode of transmission is not well understood. The Emergency Committee decided that the monkeypox outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern.

The WHO’s General Director’s statement on the WHO website stated “Although I am declaring a public health emergency of international concern, for the moment this is an outbreak that is concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners. That means that this is an outbreak that can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups. It’s therefore essential that all countries work closely with communities of men who have sex with men, to design and deliver effective information and services, and to adopt measures that protect the health, human rights and dignity of affected communities. Stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus….But with the tools we have right now, we can stop transmission and bring this outbreak under control” 1.

For the most up-to-date information on the monkeypox virus visit the WHO website by clicking here. To read the WHO’s director statement click here.

Resources

1. World Health Organization. (n.d.). Who director-general’s statement at the press conference following IHR Emergency Committee regarding the multi-country outbreak of Monkeypox — 23 July 2022. World Health Organization. Retrieved July 25, 2022, from https://www.who.int/news-room/speeches/item/who-director-general-s-statement-on-the-press-conference-following-IHR-emergency-committee-regarding-the-multi--country-outbreak-of-monkeypox--23-july-2022

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