The head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday declared that the multi-country outbreak of the mpox virus which began around a year ago was no longer a public health emergency of international concern. UN News reports.
Some 90 percent fewer cases were reported in the past three months, compared with the previous three.
There had been more than 87,000 cases, and 140 deaths worldwide reported to WHO, from 111 different countries.
The virus, originally known as monkey pox, spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids and causes flu-like symptoms, and also pus-filled lesions on the skin.
A public health emergency of international concern was declared by WHO in July 2022 in connection with an outbreak of mpox in several states, as the virus quickly spread around the world.
Mpox is a rare infectious disease that occurs in remote areas of Central and West Africa.
