▲ Information about monkey pox erected in front of passengers arriving at Incheon International Airport
The World Health Organization (WHO) will convene an emergency meeting on the 23rd to decide whether to declare monkeypox as an international public health emergency (PHEIC), AFP and Reuters reported on the 14th local time.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing on the same day, "The outbreak of monkeypox is unusual and worrisome." We have decided to convene an emergency meeting,” he said.
The meeting will be held on the 23rd.
He also emphasized the cooperation of the international community, saying that it is time to consider ways to increase the level of response as the virus is unusually prevalent and many countries are affected.
An international public health emergency is the highest alert issued by the WHO in relation to a global disease.
Currently only applicable to COVID-19 and polio.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1,600 confirmed cases of monkey pox have been reported in 39 countries around the world, including endemic areas in Africa, and 1,500 suspected cases have been identified.
72 deaths were reported in endemic areas alone.
Monkey smallpox, which has similar symptoms to smallpox, is a virus that has become endemic in Central and Western Africa. It has raised concerns about a health crisis.
(Photo = joint coverage, Yonhap News)