WHO declares monkeypox a global health emergency
The clinical presentation is generally that of a self-limited disease; mean incubation period is currently estimated at 7.6 to 9.2 days
On 23 July 2022, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks during a press conference to update on the report of the 2nd meeting of the IHR Emergency Committee regarding the multi-country outbreak of monkeypox. Dr Tedros stated that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the current monkeypox outbreak (read India’s first monkeypox case in Kerala; centre rushes team – MDDTimes) a global health emergency. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “The global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).”
As of 23 July 2022, monkeypox cases have been detected in over 75 countries (three in 24 hours), and is likely to spread rapidly in the coming weeks. According to the WHO, between 1 January 2022 and 20 July 2022, 14,533 probable and laboratory-confirmed cases (including three deaths in Nigeria and two in the Central African Republic) were reported to WHO from 72 countries across all six WHO Regions; up from 3,040 cases in 47 countries at the beginning of May 2022.
The WHO said, “Transmission is occurring in many countries that had not previously reported cases of monkeypox, and the highest numbers of cases are currently reported from countries in the WHO European Region and the Region of the Americas.”
“The majority of reported cases of monkeypox currently are in males, and most of these cases occur among males who identified themselves as gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM), in urban areas, and are clustered in social and sexual networks. Early reports of children affected include a few with no known epidemiological link to other cases.”
“There has also been a significant rise in the number of cases in countries in West and Central Africa, with an apparent difference in the demographic profile maintained than that observed in Europe and the Americas, with more women and children amongst the cases.”
The clinical presentation of monkeypox occurring in outbreaks outside Africa is generally that of a self-limited disease, often atypical to cases described in previous outbreaks, with rash lesions localized to the genital, perineal/perianal or peri-oral area, that often do not spread further, and appears prior to the development of lymphadenopathy, fever, malaise, and pain associated with lesions.
The mean incubation period among cases reported is estimated at 7.6 to 9.2 days. The mean serial interval is estimated at 9.8 days.
Among temporary recommendations, the WHO has asked – (1) Countries with no history of monkeypox to strengthen all aspects of readiness for responding to monkeypox and stop human to human transmission; plan for interventions to avoid the stigmatization and discrimination against any individual or population group that may be affected by monkeypox; establish and intensify epidemiological disease surveillance; intensify the detection capacity; raise awareness about monkeypox virus transmission, prevention, and symptoms and signs. (2) Countries like India with recently imported cases of monkeypox to implement response actions; engage and protect communities; raise awareness; intensify surveillance; strengthen laboratory capacity; strengthen genomic sequencing capacities; isolate cases; consider targeted use of second- or third-generation smallpox or monkeypox vaccines.
The WHO has also asked propel infected with the virus to refrain from any form of travel.
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