Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of global concern, following the confirmation of over 16, 000 cases in 75 countries.
The director, in an official statement, released on Saturday said a careful review shows that the outbreak is at the moment concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners.
“In short, 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,” Ghebreyesus said.
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“For all of these reasons, I have decided that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.”
Before arriving at the decision, the director said the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations considered five factors including the case profile in most countries.
He said information provided by countries shows that this virus has spread rapidly to many countries that have not seen it before.
There are also indications that there is a clear risk of further international spread, although the risk of interference with international traffic remains low for the moment.
He recommended that surveillance and public health measures be intensified in countries yet to report a case of monkeypox, or have not reported a case for more than 21 days; and those with recently imported cases of monkeypox and are experiencing human-to-human transmission.
He urged them to engage and protect affected communities while strengthening clinical management and infection prevention and control in hospitals and clinics.
He also countries to accelerate research into the use of vaccines, therapeutics and other tool to tame the outbreak.
“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,” the director said.
A total of 117 cases have been confirmed in Nigeria in 2022, according to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
There were 37 new suspected cases reported in between July 11t and 17 from 21 states. Of the 37 suspected cases, there were 16 new confirmed positive cases from 12 states.
