Monkeypox has been declared a global emergency (Image: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty)

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the monkeypox outbreak a global emergency on Saturday (July 23).

The news comes as the total number of cases in the UK exceeds 2,000.

WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the risk of monkeypox is moderate worldwide, except in Europe, where the WHO considers it high risk.

But what exactly is a global health emergency? Was it filed early?

Here is everything you need to know.

What is a Global Health Emergency?

Global emergencies are the highest level of WHO surveillance.

Nurse prepares monkey vaccine

The Global Health Emergency is the highest level alert the WHO can issue (Image: Holly Adams/Getty)

Formally known as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), this status indicates that the response to the disease is intensifying.

This designation means that since the WHO currently considers the outbreak to be a major threat to global health, urgent action is needed to prevent the outbreak from spreading further and becoming a pandemic.

This statement is intended to provoke an international response and may lead to financial cooperation to share vaccines and treatments.

According to the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005, the State has a legal obligation to respond to the PHEIC in a timely manner.

Before a global health emergency is declared, the WHO Emergency Committee will meet to assess the evidence and make recommendations to the Secretary.

The Commission met last month to consider declaring monkeypox a global emergency but decided against it.

At that time, 3,040 cases were reported in 47 countries.

However, the situation has rapidly accelerated since then, with 16,000 cases and 5 deaths reported in 75 countries.

They met again on Thursday and split by decision, nine members opposed and six in favor of the declaration, prompting Tedros to break the deadlock.

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He states: “There are outbreaks that have spread rapidly around the world through new transmission routes that we know little about.

“For all of these reasons, I have determined that the global monkeypox outbreak is an Emergency of International Public Health Concern.

Has a global health emergency ever been declared?

Yes, the WHO has declared six more global health emergencies: the first swine flu in 2009.

The appointment is temporary and must be confirmed every three months.


All WHO global health emergency

Emergencies are as follows:

  • 2022 – monkey flower
  • 2020 – COVID-19 (novel coronavirus infection)
  • 2018-20 – Kibu Ebora
  • 2016 – zika virus
  • 2014 – Ebola
  • 2014 – acute polio
  • 2009 – swine flu

Covid-19 was declared a global health emergency on January 30, 2020.

At that time, 170 people have died from the virus in China and 98 cases have been reported abroad in 18 countries.

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