The World Health Organization on Thursday announced that mpox is no longer a public health emergency of international concern
The virus, which was previously known as monkeypox, causes a painful rash and fever. Most people who are infected fully recover, though some get very sick or die, according to WHO.
The director-general of the United Nations’ health agency, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, declared mpox to be a global public health emergency in July as the virus quickly spread across the globe. On Wednesday, the WHO emergency committee for mpox met and recommended an end to the emergency.
“I have accepted that advice and am pleased to declare that mpox is no longer a global health emergency,” Ghebreyesus said Thursday. “However, as with COVID-19, that does not mean that the work is over. Mpox continues to pose significant public health challenges that need a robust, proactive and sustainable response.”
"It remains important for countries to maintain their testing capacities and to continue their efforts, assess their risk, quantify their needs to respond, and act promptly when needed"-@DrTedros #mpox
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 11, 2023
The director-general noted that in the past three months, “almost 90% fewer cases were reported” than seen in the previous three months.
“In particular, the work of community organizations, together with public health authorities, has been critical for informing people of the risks of mpox, encouraging and supporting behavior change and advocating for access to tests, vaccines and treatments to be accessible to those most in need,” he said.
More than 87,000 cases of mpox have been reported worldwide, causing 140 deaths, according to WHO. Over 30,000 of those cases were reported in the U.S., where 42 people have died, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.
Last week, officials with the CDC urged people to get vaccinated after a new cluster of cases was reported in Chicago. Those at risk include people who have been exposed to the virus or who believe they may have been exposed and men who have sex with other men or with transgender, nonbinary or gender-diverse partners, according to health officials.
The latest mpox outbreak began in May 2022, when the virus abruptly spread across Europe and the Americas. According to WHO, the outbreak has predominantly affected men who have sex with other men, although others have also been infected.
Mpox spreads through close, personal and often skin-to-skin contact, according to the CDC. The viral infection is sporadically seen in West and Central Africa, data from the WHO shows.
