World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus announced on September 5 that the agency has lifted the highest alert for mpox after months of declining cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the neighboring countries.
“The monkeypox emergency committee met yesterday and advised me that, in its view, the situation no longer represents an international health emergency. I have accepted that advice,” Ghebreyesus said.
Expert assessments show a continuous downward trend in infections in the DRC, Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Uganda, leading the committee to recommend the lifting of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern that was declared last year.
“Of course, lifting the emergency declaration does not mean the threat is over, nor that our response will stop,” Ghebreyesus warned while also stressing that mpox remains a serious threat in some regions of Africa.
WHO also emphasized that these countries must maintain funding, continue close surveillance, and maintain border cooperation to prevent a resurgence of infection.
Experts also warned that children, pregnant women, and people with HIV remain at risk, so it is important not to panic even though the global emergency status has been lifted.
