The chief of the World Health Organization has declared the expanding monkeypox outbreak in more than 70 countries as a global emergency on 23JUL. WHO defines a public health emergency of international concern as an “extraordinary event” that constitutes a public health risk to other countries through the international spread of disease.
As reported by CBC, the decision was made to issue the declaration despite a lack of consensus among members of WHO’s emergency committee, the first time in history the chief of the United Nations health agency has done so.
Reportedly, the decision to place monkeypox in that category was made to ensure the global community drives more attention and resources to the outbreaks. Although monkeypox has been established in parts of central and west Africa for decades, it was not known to spread beyond the continent until MAY 2022, where authorities detected epidemics in Europe, North America and elsewhere.
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