Declaration of monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern

The growing concern of monkeypox (mpx) on a global scale has been looming since the first outbreak of the disease in the United Kingdom in early May 2022. Since then, the infectious disease has spread throughout the world, with over 28,000 total cases across more than 80 countries. The United States case count has risen from 60 in early June to more than 7,500 at the beginning of August, with 102 of those cases reported in Arizona. For more information about the transmission, symptoms, and prevention of monkeypox, check out our previous article. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has created an emergency committee to discuss and analyze the future of monkeypox. The committee and the WHO director have declared the disease a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). As of August 4, 2022, the Biden administration has declared the monkeypox virus as a Public Health Emergency in the United States

What does this mean?

Experts are monitoring this emergency very closely! The official declaration of the PHEIC acts as a signal for health organizations around the globe, and can help mobilize resources to lower-income countries to help fund their response to outbreaks; this will, hopefully, include sharing available vaccines with countries needing them.