The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday said that it does not believe that the recent monkeypox outbreak outside Africa will lead to a new pandemic, reported NDTV News. Monkeypox has so far spread to 24 nations with over 435 confirmed cases.
The global health body also said that it remains unclear if infected people who are not displaying symptoms can transmit the disease.
Monkeypox is usually a mild illness that spreads through close contact and can cause flu-like symptoms and pus-filled skin lesions.
Although the WHO has voiced concern at this “unusual situation”, the UN body reiterated on Monday that there was no reason to panic over the virus.
When asked during an epidemiological briefing whether the virus, which is endemic in a range of west and central African nations, might lead to another pandemic, WHO’s top monkeypox expert Rosamund Lewis acknowledged that “we don’t know.”
But “we don’t think so,” she said.
Lewis said at the moment, the health body is not concerned about a global pandemic. She said it was important to take rapid steps to rein in the spread of the virus.
She told an online public forum that it is still possible to stop the monkeypox outbreak before it gets large. She said there is no need to be scared of the virus as of now.
The virus has for the first time manifested in gay and bisexual men.
The WHO official urged men who have sex with other men to be aware, even when the virus is not defined as a sexually transmitted disease.
In related news, the WHO’s governing board agreed on Monday to form a new committee to help speed up its response to health emergencies like Covid-19.
Under the resolution, passed unanimously at the 34-member Executive Board’s annual meeting, a new ‘Standing Committee on Health Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response’ will be formed to help address some of the perceived shortcomings.
