🌍 Hey there, amigos! The World Health Organization (WHO) has just declared mpox a global public health emergency, sounding the alarm on its potential spread across the world.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced, \"Today, the emergency committee met and advised me that the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice.\"
So, what does this mean? A Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is the highest level of alert under international health law. Basically, it's a big deal! 😱
Mpox cases have skyrocketed this year, surpassing last year's total with over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths, according to WHO data. \"This is something that should concern us all… The potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying,\" Tedros added.
This declaration follows the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declaring mpox a public health emergency for the continent.
But there's hope! 🙌 The European Union is stepping up by planning to procure and donate 175,420 doses of MVA-BN vaccines to Africa. Plus, Danish biotech company Bavarian Nordic is donating an additional 40,000 vaccine doses.
Mpox is affecting multiple regions with different strains, making it a complex challenge. \"We are not dealing with one outbreak of one clade – we are dealing with several outbreaks of different clades in different countries with different modes of transmission and different levels of risk,\" Tedros explained.
Stay informed, stay safe, and let's support global efforts to tackle mpox together! 🤝
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
