Last Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an end to the international public health emergency in the context of monkeypox, which has affected more than 111 countries.

The emergency was declared in July 2022 and since then 87,000 cases and 140 deaths have been reported worldwide, with the first case detected in Mozambique last October.

According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom, there is now steady progress in controlling the outbreak based on what has been learned with HIV/AIDS and the work done with the most affected communities.

"In the last three months we've seen a drop of almost 90 percent in cases compared to the previous quarter," he explained.

According to the source, the end of the emergency does not mean that the work is over as smallpox continues to present several public health challenges and needs a robust response as the disease continues to spread, including in African countries.

"There is still a risk especially for travelers and, in particular, for people living with untreated HIV. It remains important that countries maintain their testing capacities and efforts, assess the risks, quantify their response needs and be ready to act when necessary." (Letter)