WHO convenes emergency committee over uncontrolled smallpox outbreak

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced on August 4 the possibility of creating an expert committee to assess the need to declare the monkeypox outbreak an international emergency. By data Medical Xpress, WHO, together with the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other partners, is intensifying efforts to combat the rapid spread of the disease.

On social media platform X, Tedros underlined the seriousness of the situation, noting that a more deadly strain of smallpox is spreading in several African countries. He stressed that WHO, the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, local authorities and partners continue to strengthen the response to stop the outbreak. However, Tedros also stressed the need for additional funding and support for a comprehensive response.

Consideration of the convening of an emergency committee on the International Health Regulations (IHR) is related to the potential global threat posed by the smallpox outbreak.

Tedros stated: “I am considering convening an emergency committee on IHR to advise me on whether the smallpox outbreak should be declared a public health emergency of international concern.”.

A Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is the highest level of alert that WHO can declare. This empowers the CEO to take decisive action based on the committee’s recommendations.

Smallpox is a viral infectious disease that is transmitted to humans from infected animals or through close physical contact with infected people. The disease was first identified in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The previous global outbreak of smallpox occurred two years ago, prompting the WHO to declare an NSCLC that was in effect from July 2022 to May 2023.