WHO set to decide next week if monkeypox represents health emergency

There have been 1,600 confirmed and 1,500 suspected cases of monkeypox this year and 72 deaths, WHO said, in 39 countries

The global outbreak of monkeypox is "clearly unusual and concerning", WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday as he announced to convene an emergency committee next week to assess whether this outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.

So far this year, over 1,600 confirmed and almost 1,500 suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from 39 countries including seven where monkeypox has been detected for years, and 32 newly-affected countries, Ghebreyesus told a media briefing.

Further, so far this year, 72 deaths have been reported from previously-affected countries.

No deaths have been reported