Mary Wilson
Well-known member
Statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
15 June 2022
Just yesterday, WHO announced that next week we will convene an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations to advise on whether the current spread of monkeypox in non-endemic countries constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.
Europe remains the epicentre of this escalating outbreak with 25 countries reporting more than 1500 cases, or 85% of the global total.
The magnitude of this outbreak poses a real risk; the longer the virus circulates, the more it will extend its reach, and the stronger the disease’s foothold will get in non-endemic countries.
Governments, health partners and civil society need to act with urgency, and together to control this outbreak; and there are three basic steps needed.
First, carry out enhanced surveillance, contact tracing and infection prevention and control.
Strong surveillance and diagnostic systems in several European countries – along with swift information-sharing mechanisms – have ensured that the outbreak has been rapidly reported and communicated.
However, we are already seeing significant gaps in our ability to respond that need to be filled. As a top priority, WHO has released emergency funds to rapidly establish monkeypox virus identification and sequencing in countries that have not yet got the tests and lab supplies to detect the virus in their laboratories.
Still, even without all tools available to us right now, we have what we need to identify cases and prevent onward spread. ...
https://www.who.int/europe/news/ite...gently-tackling-a-neglected-disease--together
15 June 2022
Just yesterday, WHO announced that next week we will convene an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations to advise on whether the current spread of monkeypox in non-endemic countries constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.
Europe remains the epicentre of this escalating outbreak with 25 countries reporting more than 1500 cases, or 85% of the global total.
The magnitude of this outbreak poses a real risk; the longer the virus circulates, the more it will extend its reach, and the stronger the disease’s foothold will get in non-endemic countries.
Governments, health partners and civil society need to act with urgency, and together to control this outbreak; and there are three basic steps needed.
First, carry out enhanced surveillance, contact tracing and infection prevention and control.
Strong surveillance and diagnostic systems in several European countries – along with swift information-sharing mechanisms – have ensured that the outbreak has been rapidly reported and communicated.
However, we are already seeing significant gaps in our ability to respond that need to be filled. As a top priority, WHO has released emergency funds to rapidly establish monkeypox virus identification and sequencing in countries that have not yet got the tests and lab supplies to detect the virus in their laboratories.
Still, even without all tools available to us right now, we have what we need to identify cases and prevent onward spread. ...
https://www.who.int/europe/news/ite...gently-tackling-a-neglected-disease--together