Monkeypox has become a global health emergency, says WHO

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A global health emergency has been declared by the WHO. On July 23, it was announced that the spread of the viral infection is a public health emergency of international concern, putting it on par with the ongoing coronaviruses pandemic.

There have been more than 16,000 reported cases of monkeypox this year. The UK Health Security Agency says there have been more than 2000 in the UK.

The WHO panel was split on whether to make monkeypox a global emergency. Some members of the panel argued that the disease isn't so severe and that case numbers don't seem to be rising, while others argued that the disease needs a coordinated international response.

The majority of monkeypox cases have been in men who have sex with men, according to the World Health Organization. Most of the cases have been in the UK, the US, Canada, and Spain, according to the report. People who have had multiple sexual partners are more likely to have it happen.

Until this year, there was no indication that skin-to-skin contact was the most common way of Monkeypox spreading. According to a study published last week, only a small percentage of monkeypox cases are caused by non-sexual close contact. 13 per cent of people had to go to the hospital.

There have been five confirmed deaths from the disease in Africa so far, according to the World Health Organization. There have been no deaths in other places.

There are a number of symptoms of monkeypox. The skin on the face and other parts of the body is prone to developing a rash. The lining of the rectum will be listed as a symptom by the UK, according to the WHO.

The declaration of a global emergency means that the outbreak is unprecedented, affects multiple countries and requires a coordinated international response, according to Hugh Adler.

Read more: How can the global monkeypox outbreak be controlled?

He said thatnaming the situation a public health emergency adds political weight to it. This will ensure that the outbreak can be prioritised.

The WHO has told countries that they need to increase their efforts to identify and treat people with the disease. They have been told that these places should increase their vaccinations.

Imvanex is a vaccine that has been shown to be effective against monkeypox. It was approved for use in Europe. The vaccine has been given to people who are most at risk of contracting the disease. 100,000 more jabs have been ordered by the health service.

The fact that a vaccine exists suggests that the outbreak can be stopped. He said that they could stop transmission and bring the outbreak under control.

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