The World Health Organisation has declared the rapidly spreading monkeypox disease a global health emergency, which is its highest level of alert, WHO’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Saturday.

A “public health emergency of international concern” by WHO alerts countries across the world that a coordinated response is required and can prompt agencies to fund and collaborate on sharing information, vaccines and treatments.

Members of an expert committee that met on Thursday to discuss whether the monkeypox outbreak should be declared a global emergency.

According to a Reuters report, Tedros told a press conference in Geneva on Saturday that the committee had failed to reach a consensus, with nine members against and six in favour of the declaration. 
The report said that Tedros decided to back the highest level of alert due to concerns over escalating case rates and a short supply of vaccines and treatments, despite the lack of a majority opinion.

Till now, over 16,000 monkeypox cases have been reported in more than 75 countries and five deaths in Africa.

The disease – which causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the skin – has been spreading mainly in men who have sex with men in the recent outbreak, outside Africa where it is endemic.

Meantime, another report from New Ypork said : Although the COVID-19 vaccination rollout is the biggest and fastest in history, many people most at risk are still not protected against the disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday, announcing an updated inoculation strategy. 

The plan prioritizes vaccinating 100 per cent of healthcare workers and vulnerable groups, including older persons and those with underlying conditions, in line with efforts to vaccinate 70 per cent of the global population.

More than 12 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered worldwide to date, resulting in countries reaching 60 per cent of their populations on average.

Yet only 28 per cent of older people and 37 per cent of healthcare workers in low-income countries, have received their primary course of vaccines, and most have not had booster doses.

Wide-ranging benefits

“Even where 70% vaccination coverage is achieved, if significant numbers of health workers, older people and other at-risk groups remain unvaccinated, deaths will continue, health systems will remain under pressure and the global recovery will be at risk,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General. 

“Vaccinating all those most at risk is the single best way to save lives, protect health systems and keep societies and economies open.” 

The updated strategy focuses on the need to measure progress in vaccinating these priority groups, and developing targeted approaches to reach them, which also includes gaining greater access to more displaced people through humanitarian response.

Invest and upgrade

Accelerating development of improved vaccines, and ensuring equitable access to substantially reduce virus transmission, is a top priority.

While current vaccines were designed to prevent serious illness and death, and have saved millions of lives, they have not substantially reduced transmission, WHO said.

With the coronavirus still circulating widely, and new and dangerous variants emerging, the UN agency stressed that it is fundamental to continue investing in research and development towards more effective and easier ways to administer vaccines, such as via nasal spray products.

WHO also called for other vital actions, such as equitably distributing vaccine manufacturing facilities across regions, and underlined its commitment to continue collaborating with the international COVAX vaccine solidarity initiative and other partners, to support countries with rollouts.