Mpox is still a global health concern, WHO says

Given the recent increase in Mpox cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) has resolved to maintain its highest level of alert, as reported by a WHO committee comprising a dozen independent experts. This resolution was reached at a meeting convened in Geneva, approximately three months after the WHO initially designated the situation as a public health emergency of global concern in August 2024. This decision was based on the increasing number and continued geographic dissemination of cases, the UN health agency asserted that. It is estimated that Mpox resulted in hundreds of fatalities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other countries in the past year, with the virus also spreading to Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, and Uganda, leading to a widespread emergency across the continent. While the initial distribution of vaccines in October appeared to have had a favourable impact on containing the disease, the African Union health watchdog issued a warning in late October indicating that the Mpox outbreak remained uncontrolled. The call was made for additional resources to avert a pandemic.