Baku (ANTARA) – The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that the fast-spreading epidemic of monkeypox can be stopped with the right strategies and groups, according to a statement released on the WHO’s official website, Thursday (28/7).
“However, time is running fast and we must immediately move together to realize these goals,” Rosamund Lewis, WHO technical lead for monkeypox, told a news conference in Geneva.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the spread of the virus a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and the highest alert level for the World Health Organization.
“Through this, we hope to improve coordination, cooperation between countries and all stakeholders, as well as global solidarity,” said Dr Lewis.
WHO has determined the risk of monkeypox to public health in the European region is high, while for other regions it is at a moderate level.
Ghebreyesus said while other regions were not currently severely affected, he said PHEIC was needed to ensure the outbreak was stopped as soon as possible.
This year there were reported to be 16,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox in more than 75 countries.
But Dr Lewis said the number was likely higher.
He mentioned that in the territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are thousands of suspected cases of monkeypox, but smallpox testing facilities are very limited.
Lewis said “the instrument manual does not count suspected cases of monkeypox”.
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