The U.N. agency declined last month to declare a global emergency in response to monkeypox. But infections have increased substantially over the past several weeks, pushing Ghebreyesus to issue the highest alert before a global health emergency is declared, the WHO’s emergency committee meets to weigh the evidence and make a recommendation to the director general.
On July 19, the Borno State Ministry of Health reported four cases of monkeypox infections.
Ghebreyesus made the decision to issue the highest alert based on the rapid spread of the outbreak around the world.
He said: “We have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly, through new modes of transmission, about which we understand too little,” Tedros said. “For all of these reasons, I have decided that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.”
More than 16,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported across more than 70 countries so far this year, and the number of confirmed infections rose 77% from late June through early July, according to WHO data. Men who have sex with men are currently at highest risk of infection.
The State Director of Public Health, Lawi Mshelia, was said to have confirmed the development, noting that of the four suspected cases discovered, three were confirmed positive by the NCDC.
Mr Mshelia added that two of the positive cases were reported from the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital where he said they were receiving treatment.
Also, five deaths from the virus have been reported in Africa this year.