Monkeypox case count rises to more than 3,200 globally – WHO

(Reuters) – Greater than 3,200 confirmed monkeypox instances and one dying had been reported to the World Well being Group as half of the present outbreak.

There may be want for intensified surveillance within the broader group, WHO Director-Basic Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned on Thursday, including that instances in non-endemic nations had been nonetheless predominantly amongst males who’ve intercourse with males.

“Particular person-to-person transmission is ongoing and is probably going underestimated,” Tedros mentioned at a gathering of the Worldwide Well being Rules (2005) Emergency Committee.

The assembly of specialists was convened by the WHO to determine whether or not to declare monkeypox a world well being emergency.

A “public well being emergency of worldwide concern” is WHO’s highest degree of alert. Forty eight nations have reported instances within the present outbreak, which started in Might.

There had been nearly 1,500 suspected instances of monkeypox this yr in Central Africa and 70 deaths, Tedros mentioned.

The WHO head known as on member states to share info on the virus as it could assist the company in its objective to help nations to comprise transmission.

(Reporting by Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru; Enhancing by Shounak Dasgupta)