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