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Monkeypox A New Pandemic Threat? This is what WHO says

Tuesday, 31 May 2022 – 06:15 WIB

Monkeypox usually only spreads in Africa but has recently appeared in the United States and Europe. (Reuters: CDC/Brian WJ Mahy/Handout)

jpnn.com, LONDON – The World Health Organization (WHO) doubts an outbreak of monkeypox outside Africa will become a pandemic, an official said on Monday.

He added it was still unclear whether an asymptomatic infected person could infect others.

More than 300 suspected and confirmed cases of monkeypox were reported in May. Most of the cases are in Europe.

The illness is usually mild, causes flu-like symptoms and a characteristic rash, and is spread by close contact,

The WHO is still considering whether the monkeypox outbreak will be assessed as a “Public Health Emergency of Global Concern” (PHEIC).

Such statuses, such as those assigned to COVID-19 and Ebola, would help accelerate research and funding to prevent the disease.

Asked whether the monkeypox outbreak has the potential to become a pandemic, the technical chief for monkeypox of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme Rosamund Lewis said: “We don’t know yet, but we don’t think so.”

“At this time, we are not worried about a global pandemic,” he said.

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