Asked at a press conference about the possibility of such a pandemic, the WHO’s top monkeypox expert, Rosamund Lewis, replied: “It is still possible to stop this pandemic before it spreads.”
Since Britain first reported a confirmed case of monkeypox on May 7, the WHO has been informed of nearly 400 cases in some 20 countries not usually affected by this virus.
The WHO said it was concerned about this “unusual situation”, but reiterated that there is no reason to panic.
Monkeypox is related to smallpox, which killed millions of people around the world each year before it was eradicated in 1980.
But monkeypox is much less serious and most infected people recover within three to four weeks.
Early symptoms include a high fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a chickenpox-like rash.
The entrance WHO rules out fears of a monkeypox pandemic for now was first published in diary TODAY.
