Members of a World Health Organization (WHO) panel of experts are divided on whether the monkeypox outbreak is a global health emergency, but the agency’s director-general may issue the highest alert on Saturday, they told Reuters two sources.
The committee, which met on Thursday, advises WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is responsible for making the final decision on whether to declare a global health emergency.
In the past, Tedros has always followed the committee’s recommendation, but the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was seriously considering declaring the agency’s highest alert level despite the lack of a majority because of his concern about urgency. of the situation.
The WHO is due to hold a press conference at 16:00 Greek time on Saturday to announce its final decision.
The designation – “public health emergency of international concern” – currently only applies to the coronavirus pandemic and ongoing efforts to eradicate polio.
In recent weeks, pressure has been mounting from scientists and public health experts on the WHO and national governments to take greater action on monkeypox. More than 14,000 cases and five deaths have now been reported from 71 WHO member states.
When the committee first met in late June, there were only about 3,000 cases.
The WHO alert serves to sound the alarm and may also unlock funding and global efforts to collaborate on sharing vaccines and treatments.
Effective treatments and vaccines for monkeypox already exist, but are in short supply. The WHO has also already provided advice and updates since the outbreak began in early May.
At the first meeting of the expert committee, the group said it would reconsider its position on declaring an emergency if the outbreak escalates.
On Friday, the United States identified its first two cases in children. Any changes in the virus itself, which spreads through close contact and causes flu-like lesions and symptoms, could also prompt a review, the panel said.
The group is now divided between those who believe an emergency declaration will speed up efforts to contain the disease and those who believe it does not meet the criteria because it has not yet spread to new groups of people or does not have a high fatality rate, they said. sources.
Source: Capital
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
