ISLAMABAD: Mpox is no longer considered a global health emergency, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which made the announcement on Friday following a steady drop in cases across affected regions, particularly in Africa.
The disease, previously declared a public health emergency of international concern in August last year, had seen widespread transmission from the Democratic Republic of Congo to nearby countries. Since then, infections have consistently declined in Congo, Burundi, Sierra Leone and Uganda, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed.
While Mpox usually causes mild illness with flu-like symptoms and skin lesions, it can be fatal in rare instances. Vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems—including those living with HIV—are at greater risk of severe complications.
Despite lifting the emergency status, the WHO emphasised that Mpox remains a public health concern. The decision to downgrade the alert was based on recommendations from the WHO Emergency Committee, which reviews the situation every three months.
“While we are removing the emergency, we need to keep the urgency,” said Professor Dimie Ogoina, a member of the committee. He stressed the importance of continued funding, global cooperation and solidarity, particularly for the African countries still grappling with the outbreak.
Health officials expressed concern over the disproportionately high number of Mpox-related deaths among people with HIV in Uganda and Sierra Leone, as well as growing vulnerability among infants and children in Congo.
The new strain of the virus, identified as clade Ib, continues to circulate in sub-Saharan Africa. Isolated cases linked to international travel have also emerged in countries like Thailand and the United Kingdom.
