The WHO began its much-anticipated meeting on monkeypox, Thursday. The result of the meeting is expected to be issued on Friday at the earliest, the health body said in a pressing. During the meeting, Tedros stressed that all countries need to strengthen their capacities to prevent onward transmission of monkeypox using adequate surveillance, contract tracing and isolating infected patients.
He said that in addition to the 3,200-plus confirmed cases, almost 1,500 suspected cases of monkeypox and around 70 suspected deaths have been reported in central Africa this year. The emergency committee will provide Tedros with a PHEIC recommendation, and an assessment of the risk to human health, the risk of international spread and the risk of interference with international traffic.
Tedros will then make the final determination on whether a PHEIC should be declared, based on their advice. The meeting was announced after a surge in the cases was reported across 58 nations.
It was on June 14th had announced to hold a private meeting during which the committee would decide whether or not to title monkeypox a pandemic or not.