Monkeypox Emergency

WHO has yet again announced Monkeypox as a danger to the world

More than 16,000 cases of monkeypox have yet been reported in more than 75 countries worldwide. Most confirmed cases reportedly had a travel history to countries in Europe and North America where the virus seems to be rampant. The situation forced WHO’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to declare monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This is the organisations highest level of alert designed to initiate a coordinate international response to bolster global efforts on vaccine sharing and treatments.

There have been six previous PHEIC declarations: In 2009, the swine flu pandemic spread through the US; in 2014, both Polio and Ebola became a cause for concern; in 2015, the mosquito-born Zika virus outbreak occurred; in 2018, K. Ebola became a threat; and then in 2019, the deadly Covid-19 virus emerged. Before myths and hoaxes start take precedence, especially within Pakistan, one must understand the dynamics of the virus. Monkeypox is different from Covid-19 in a sense that it is harder to transmit, requiring close skin contact with lesions or excreted fluid. It is rarely transmissible through respiratory route. While its sudden spread has become concerning, it is not a new virus and vaccines are available to fight it.

In light of the situation, countries must respond by enhance their screening, testing and monitoring mechanism. Moreover, travelling must be highly regulated and those with a history of travelling to affected areas must be checked and isolated at the earliest. Pakistan’s Health Minister has issued high alert in a timely manner and surveillance across the country has been ramped up. No cases have been reported yet so there is no need for early panic, but authorities need to keep a vigilant eye especially at airports and on travelers.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2022.

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