WHO declares global emergency over mpox

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), its highest level of alert, due to a new variant of the mpox viral disease in Africa.

The WHO asserted that there is a risk that mpox could spread internationally again after 2022 and become a health risk in several countries.

The WHO followed the recommendation of independent mpox experts, who had met at the WHO's invitation in the so-called emergency committee, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in Geneva.

The declaration of the emergency does not have concrete consequences. Instead, it aims to alert authorities worldwide to prepare for possible outbreaks.