WHO lifts 'monkeypox' MPOX emergency after 10 months

The World Health Organization (WHO) has decided to lift the international public health emergency (PHEVEIC) for MPOX (formerly known as monkeypox).

WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a briefing on May 11th (local time) that the company would accept the expert panel's advice that MPOX no longer meets the PHEVEIC declaration requirements. With this, PHEVEIC for MPOX was lifted for the first time in 10 months since July last year.

PHEVEIC is the highest level of public health alert that the WHO can issue. If the epidemic of a specific disease is determined by PHEVEIC, the WHO will be able to promote various research, financial support, and global health measures to control the epidemic.

Since May last year, MPOX has spread all over the world from an endemic disease in mid-western Africa. In particular, the fact that many cases of infection occur during the process of sexual contact between same-sex people has also raised the issue of social discrimination. In response, the WHO declared PEVEC for MPOX in July last year.

"In the last three months, the number of MPOX cases has decreased by about 90% compared to the previous three months," said Tedros, adding that "through cooperation with major affected areas, we have achieved steady results in controlling MPOX."