Guwahati: The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued the strongest call to action it is able to in relation to the global monkeypox outbreak by designating it as a public health emergency of international significance.
It follows a meeting of an expert committee on Thursday and marks the eighth such announcement since 2009. The most recent was for Covid-19, which received the same label from the WHO in 2020.
Although it can cause outbreaks in people, the viral infection known as monkeypox is primarily seen in animals in central and western Africa. Despite the fact that instances have occasionally been found in nations where the virus is not prevalent, the most recent outbreak is unique.
The majority of instances have been reported in Europe, but there have also been cases in the US, Canada, Australia, Nigeria, Israel, Brazil, and Mexico, among other nations.
The WHO found that a substantial portion of the outbreak occurred among males who had intercourse with men who have recently reported having sex with new or numerous partners. The UN has warned that some media representations of Africans and LGBTQ+ persons “reinforce homophobic and racial stereotypes and exacerbate stigma.” Experts have however emphasised that anyone can contract monkeypox because it is spread by close or intimate contact.