Monkeypox declared global health emergency by WHO as cases surge

It is the seventh time such a declaration has been made since 2009, the most recent being for Covid-19, which was given the same label by the WHO in 2020, and follows a meeting of a committee of experts on Thursday.

The UN health agency said the term implies the situation is serious, sudden, unusual or unexpected, that it carries implications for public health beyond national borders, and that it may require immediate international attention.

The European region has the highest number of total cases, at 11,865, and the highest increase in the last seven days, with 2,705.

Monkeypox is a viral infection typically found in animals in central and western Africa, although it can cause outbreaks in humans. Cases are occasionally identified in countries where the virus is not endemic, but the latest outbreak has been unprecedented.

While countries in Europe have been hardest hit, cases have also been reported in the US, Canada, Australia, Nigeria, Israel, Brazil and Mexico among others.