WHO Holds Emergency Meeting Due to "Monkeypox"

The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, indicated that "the organization will hold an emergency meeting due to the increase in monkeypox cases among humans." Ghebreyesus stated, "Given the spread of monkeypox outside the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the potential for it to spread within Africa and beyond, the organization has decided to establish an emergency committee to advise on whether the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern." He added that the committee "will meet as soon as possible and will consist of independent experts in various relevant fields from around the world." Monkeypox is a rare infectious disease commonly found in remote areas of Central and West Africa. Its symptoms include nausea, fever, rashes, itching, and muscle aches.