Angel Valdes | May 11, 2023
In a press conference the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced on the morning of this Thursday, May 11, the end of the international emergency due to the outbreak of monkey smallpox.
“Yesterday, the monkeypox emergency committee met and recommended to me that the multi-country outbreak no longer represents a public health emergency of international concern,” said Dr. Tedros.
The international health emergency was declared in July 2022 and according to WHO figures so far a total of 87 thousand people in more than 110 countries have been affected, with a balance of 140 deaths.
Dr. Tedros explained that although they have declared the end of the international emergency, work continues with governments to eradicate the disease, “However, as with COVID-19, that does not mean that the job is done, smallpox Seismic continues to pose significant public health challenges that need a robust, proactive, and sustainable response.”
While we welcome the downward trend in monkeypox cases around the world, the virus continues to affect communities in all regions, including in Africa, where transmission is still poorly understood, Tedros concluded.
