WHO declares end to mpox public health emergency

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the decision was prompted by falling numbers of cases worldwide.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it is ending a 10-month global health crisis for mpox, a viral disease that led to confirmed cases in more than 100 countries.

The organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) in July 2022 and supported its position in November and February.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the end of the disease emergency on Thursday based on the recommendation of the organization’s emergency committee, which met the previous day.

Tedros said the decision was prompted by falling numbers of cases worldwide, but stressed that the disease remains a threat, especially in parts of Africa where it has long been present.

The announcement came just a week after the UN agency also declared that COVID-19 no longer constituted a PHEIC, its highest alert level.

“However, as with COVID-19, that doesn’t mean the work is over,” Tedros told an online press conference.

Long term strategy

Nicola Low, vice chair of the WHO emergency committee on mpox, said there was a need for a strategy for managing the long-term public health risks of mpox rather than relying on emergency response.

The transition would mean incorporating mpox response and preparedness into national disease surveillance programs, such as those for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, Low said.

Nearly 90 percent fewer mpox cases were reported in the past three months, compared to cases in the same period before, the WHO chief said.

More than 87,000 cases of mpox have been confirmed worldwide between early 2022 and May 8 this year, according to the WHO’s latest report.

The WHO said it was particularly concerned about African countries that had been dealing with mpox long before the global outbreak began and could continue for some time.