The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that an emergency conference would be held next week to decide whether the Monkeypox epidemic can be recognized as a public health emergency of worldwide concern.
“The Monkeypox epidemic is unique and worrying.” As a result, I’ve decided to convene the Worldwide Health Regulations Emergency Committee next week to determine whether this epidemic constitutes a public health emergency of international significance,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The Emergency Committee will convene on June 23 to debate the designation, which is the most serious warning the UN body can issue.
“WHO is also working with partners and experts from all around the globe to change the name of the monkeypox virus… and the disease it causes,” Tedros said, adding, “We will make announcements regarding the new nomenclature as soon as feasible.”
Monkeypox had been primarily restricted to western and central Africa until recently.
Tedros stated that the WHO has received 1,600 confirmed Monkeypox cases and 1,500 suspected cases this year from 39 countries, 32 of which have recently been infected with the virus.
According to Tedros, while 72 deaths have been documented in areas where Monkeypox is already endemic, none have been reported in newly affected nations.