World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, the highest level of alert, when more than 16,000 cases are reported in 75 countries.

"We have an outbreak that is spreading rapidly around the world, about which we know very little and which meets the criteria of international health regulations," the WHO director-general said at a press conference after the Emergency Committee meeting to assess the evolution of the disease around the world.

In light of this, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that "the global Monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern," setting out recommendations for four groups of countries.

The first group includes countries that have not yet reported cases of Monkeypox or have not had an outbreak for more than 21 days, the WHO director-general said, while the second group includes countries with recent imported cases and human-to-human transmission.

The third group of countries are those with animal-to-human transmission of the virus, and the fourth includes countries with the capacity to produce tests, vaccines, and treatments, explained Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

He said the Emergency Committee for Monkeypox, which met on Thursday (21.07) for the second time to assess the evolution of the outbreak, did not reach a consensus, but the WHO assessment is that the risk is moderate globally, except in Europe, where it is considered to be high.

The director-general explained that his decision to declare a public health emergency of international concern was based on information showing that the virus has spread rapidly globally, even in countries with no previous record of infection, as well as the "many unknowns" in the face of still insufficient data on Monkeypox.

"I know that this was not an easy or simple process and that there are divergent views among members," noted Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, as he recalled that the outbreak currently focuses mainly on "men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners."

This means that this is an outbreak that "can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups", stressed the WHO official, warning that the "stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus". (Lusa)