The World Health Organization is set to decide this Thursday whether it will declare Monkeypox a global health emergency.
The WHO, a United Nations agency, declared back in January that the virus was an emergency, the upcoming decision will potentially see the threat level rise to “public health emergency of international concern”, which, according to Reuters, is the WHO’s highest level of alert.
Monkeypox does not appear to spread nearly as easily as COVID but it has still raised alarm.
The case count from the current outbreak outside of Africa has topped 3,000 in more than 40 countries, according to a Reuters tally – largely among men who have sex with men – since it was first reported in May. As of yet, there have been no reports of deaths.
The WHO will convene a closed meeting of experts at 12 p.m. (1000 GMT) in Geneva. It remains unclear when the decision will be announced.
Author’s Opinion: It is uncertain what steps if any will be taken, but if the COVID debacle of 2020 is any indication, if there is wealth to be made, then it’s a sure bet those who are in the know have already positioned themselves to do so, that is including those who have the power to hype up an otherwise non-threat.