Good news for the global health situation. Almost a year after it began breaking out outside of endemic areas, the Mpox epidemic – long dubbed monkeypox – appears to be under control enough to raise the highest alert level, the WHO decided on Thursday while calling for vigilance. “I am pleased to declare that MPOX is no longer an international public health emergency,” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news conference.
For the experts at the Emergency Committee, whose recommendations he followed, the decline in the epidemic and progress in controlling it are important enough to move on to another phase. This announcement at MPOX comes exactly one week after the WHO lifted its highest Covid alert level. “While the Mpox and Covid-19 emergencies have passed, further waves remain at risk for both. Both viruses continue to circulate and both continue to kill,” warned Dr. Tedros following experts.
About 87,400 cases listed
Since May 2022, outbreaks of Mpox have been observed in Europe and the United States, with the exception of the ten countries in Central and West Africa where the disease has long been endemic. The Health Emergency of International Concern was declared by the WHO Director-General on July 23, 2022. Since then, the contamination curve has fallen sharply. There have been “almost 90% fewer cases in the last three months compared to the previous three months,” said Dr. Tedros feast.
According to the latest May 8 count cited by the Director-General, about 87,400 cases have been registered in 111 countries and the disease has claimed 140 lives. According to the WHO, the ten most affected countries were the United States, Brazil, Spain, France, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada.
Progress Inspired by HIV Lessons
The disease is characterized by skin rashes that can appear on the genitals or in the mouth and may be accompanied by fever, sore throat, or pain in the lymph nodes.
In addition to the “rapid response of the countries” to fight the epidemic, Dr. Tedros of “continuous advances in controlling the epidemic, inspired by the lessons of HIV and working closely with the communities most affected”. In most cases, the patients were men who had sex with men, with an average age of 34 years. “While stigma is a major concern in managing this outbreak and continues to impede access to treatment for MPox patients, the feared backlash against the hardest-hit communities has largely failed to materialize,” said Dr. tedros
Vigilance remains required
As with Covid, the acute phase of the epidemic is over for MPox, but vigilance is still required. Not only does “the virus continue to affect communities in all regions of the world, including Africa, where transmission is still poorly understood,” but travel-related cases remain a threat. And for people with untreated AIDS, MPOX poses a particular risk.
“Mpox continues to pose significant public health challenges that require a determined, proactive and sustained response,” said Dr. Tedros, urging countries to maintain surveillance or even gain access to tests, treatments and vaccines.
Poliomyelitis is still considered an international public health emergency
The fight against monkeypox only took on a global dimension when the disease began to spread to wealthy countries last year. “This episode reminds us that viruses know no borders and require a global response,” emphasize the advocates of an approach that combines human, animal and environmental health.
In endemic areas of Africa, the deadlier epidemic is largely due to contact with wildlife. After the lifting of the maximum warning for Covid and then for Mpox, only one disease is still considered an international health emergency by the WHO: poliomyelitis.