LONDON: The World Health Organization will convene an emergency committee on Thursday (June 23rd) next week to assess whether the monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.
This is the highest level of warning issued by the United Nations agency, which currently only applies to the COVID-19 pandemic and polio.
This year there have been 1,600 confirmed cases and 1,500 suspected cases of smallpox and 72 deaths, the WHO said, in 39 countries, including countries where the virus is commonly spread.