Since June 27, when “news of the disease outbreak” was previously announced, 2,614 new cases – up 77 percent – have been reported, the global health agency said in a statement.
Two new deaths have been reported, with nine other countries or territories reporting the latest cases.
The WHO said this is the first time that localized transmission of monkeypox has been reported in newly affected countries in Africa and globally, with no epidemiological link to places in West or Central Africa that have previously reported cases of monkeypox.
The world health agency noted that the outbreak continues to affect men who have sex with men, indicating there is no sign of sustained transmission outside of these networks, for now.
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus told reporters on Wednesday that he continues to be concerned about the scale and spread of the monkeypox virus.
“Probability testing of cases remains a challenge, and it is likely that a large number of cases are left unaddressed,” Tedros said.
“Europe is the epicenter of the current outbreak, recording more than 80 per cent of cases globally.”
The WHO says that in Africa, cases are emerging in previously unaffected countries.
“My team is following the data closely,” said Tedros.
“I plan to reconvene an emergency committee on the current epidemiology and evolution of the outbreak and the implementation of countermeasures.”
At its June 27 meeting, the emergency committee said the monkeypox outbreak had not yet become a global health emergency.
The WHO said it was working with countries and vaccine manufacturers to coordinate distribution of the vaccine, which is currently scarce and needs to be accessible to people at high risk.
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