The World Health Organization could decide as soon as today whether or not to declare monkeypox a global health emergency.
A public health emergency of international concern is the organization’s highest alert. This decision will come after intense scrutiny, over how they first handled the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020
If monkeypox is declared a global health emergency, that could escalate a world-wide response, especially as cases rise sharply in Britain. They’ve had almost 800 cases reported there, within the past month – a nearly 40 percent increase within a 5-day span.
It’s been an ongoing crisis in Africa, for years.
Here in Massachusetts, the department of public health just announced six additional cases of monkeypox in adult men within the past week. They’re currently in isolation, while contract tracing efforts are underway.
The total number of cases is now up to 13 statewide, since it was first detected here about five weeks ago on May 18.
It is important to note, there have not been any deaths related to the monkeypox outbreak and that patients generally recover within about two to four weeks.
