Mpox no longer an international health emergency, says WHO chief

Mpox no longer represents an international health emergency, the World Health Organization chief said on Friday.

The viral infection spreads through close contact and typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions.

"This decision is based on sustained declines in cases and as in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in other affected countries including Burundi, Sierra, Leone and Uganda," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

The WHO's Director-General added the decision was based on adviceby the WHO's Emergency Committee, which meets every three months to evaluate the outbreak.

The WHO first declared the emergency in August last year, when an outbreak of a new form of mpox spread from the badly-hit Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbouring countries.

A public health emergency of international concern is WHO's highest form of alert.