Geneva: Acknowledging the emergency nature of Monkeypox, the World Health Organization’s Emergency Committee has warned that controlling its further spread “requires intense response efforts”. The virus has now been identified in more than 50 new countries and WHO today stated that the trend is likely to continue.
So far the WHO has maintained that the current Monkeypox outbreak does not represent a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. However, the Committee has advised the WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to “reconvene them quickly” based on the evolving situation. The D-G said today that this he will do.
“I am concerned about sustained transmission because it would suggest that the virus is establishing itself and it could move into high-risk groups including children, the immunocompromised and pregnant women. We are starting to see this with several children already infected, Dr Ghebreyesus said.
Nigeria, which has been battling an outbreak since 2017, has reported more cases this year, which could mean it matches or exceeds previous peaks.
The D-G spelt out the following actions required to tackle the situation:
- Countries should increase surveillance by boosting testing as quickly as possible.
- Countries should take a best practice approach to manage the response. WHO has already published clinical guidance to assist public health agencies and health workers on the frontlines of this outbreak.
- Actively engage communities. With large gatherings happening around the world there are opportunities to both squash the stigma around the virus and spread good information so people can protect themselves. (WHO is actively working with LGBTQI+ communities to do just that).
- Ensure providing equitable access to countermeasures like vaccines and antivirals and also ensure the systematic collection of clinical data and efficacy to inform future recommendations.
WHO has been convening scientists via the R&D blueprint for epidemics to speed up research and development into tests, treatments and vaccines for monkeypox and develop a protocol for therapeutic development and rollout, Dr Ghebreyesus said.
– global bihari bureau
