WHO declares monkeypox no longer a "public health emergency of international concern"

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on the 11th that the monkeypox epidemic no longer constitutes an "international public health emergency."

This decision was made based on the report of the fifth meeting of the WHO International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee on the multi-country monkeypox outbreak.

"The number of reported cases in the past three months has decreased by nearly 90% compared to the previous three months." Tedros said at a press conference held by the World Health Organization in Geneva that day. After a meeting on the 10th, the emergency committee believed that the monkeypox epidemic no longer constituted an "international public health emergency."

"Nevertheless, like COVID-19, this does not mean the end of this work. Monkeypox continues to pose a major challenge to public health and requires a strong, proactive and sustainable response," Tedros said. "While the emergencies for both monkeypox and COVID-19 are over, the threat of a resurgence remains. Both monkeypox and COVID-19 continue to spread and continue to endanger lives."

The World Health Organization declared monkeypox a "public health emergency of international concern" in July 2022. According to WHO data, since the outbreak of monkeypox, a total of 111 countries and regions have reported more than 87,000 cases to the WHO, including 140 deaths.