WHO declares Monkeypox a global health emergency

July 23: The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared monkeypox as a global health emergency. Monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding, according to the WHO.

Around 65 countries have reported outbreaks of the viral disease as confirmed cases near 16,000.

🚨 BREAKING:
"For all of these reasons, I have decided that the global #monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern."-@DrTedros pic.twitter.com/qvmYX1ZBAL

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) July 23, 2022

India till now has reported three cases of Monkeypox. The first case surfaced on July 14, in a Kollam native, who had arrived at Thiruvananthapuram international airport from UAE. The second case was detected at Kannur four days later on July 18, again in a passenger from UAE. Kerala has picked up a third case of monkeypox, again in a traveller from United Arab Emirates, who reached the State on July 6.