The World Health Organization has concluded that the outbreak of monkeypox (mpox in the new terminology) in African countries with imported cases worldwide remains a public health emergency of international concern. The decision was made at the third meeting of the Emergency Committee on the Smallpox Incident. All current infection control recommendations have been extended, including the vaccine for its containment, which has been approved for use in the emergency.
The current smallpox outbreak was declared a public health emergency of international concern by WHO for the second time in two years in August 2024 and reaffirmed in November. The organization had previously developed a global plan to combat it and, for the first time, activated the Global Health Emergency Response Corps.
