Monkeypox outbreak declared public health emergency

In response to a widespread outbreak of mpox (formerly called monkeypox), the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the situation a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)—the highest global alert level under the International Health Regulations. This declaration was made because of rapidly increasing cases, especially in parts of Central Africa and neighbouring countries, and the potential for further international spread that could strain health systems and require coordinated action. The emergency determination aims to accelerate international cooperation, surveillance, testing, treatment access, and public health support to contain and control the outbreak. This is the second time the WHO has used this classification for an mpox outbreak: the first was in July 2022 during a multi-country outbreak that spread rapidly into non-endemic regions such as Europe and the Americas. That earlier emergency helped mobilise global surveillance and response efforts but was later lifted as cases declined. The recent 2024 declaration reflects renewed concern over a new epidemic involving a different clade of the virus that continues to affect numerous countries, particularly in Africa, with sustained transmission and significant case numbers.