The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reassured the public that the mpox outbreak is not another COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the WHO’s European director, Hans Kluge, the spread of mpox can be controlled, unlike the unpredictable nature of COVID-19.
Kluge emphasized that the response to mpox should not be compared to COVID-19, stating, “Mpox is not the new Covid. We know how to control mpox… We put in place robust surveillance; we thoroughly investigated new cases and contacts, and we provided sound public health advice.”
The WHO director noted that the risk to the general population is low, and there is no need for lockdowns or mass vaccination. “Are we going to go into lockdown in the WHO European region, it’s another COVID-19? The answer is clearly: ‘no’.”
Kluge explained that the predominant route of transmission remains close skin-to-skin contact, but there is a possibility of transmission through droplets in close contact settings.
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic clarified that the organization is not recommending the use of masks or mass vaccination. Instead, vaccines should be used in outbreak settings for high-risk groups.
The WHO declared an international health emergency on August 14, concerned by the rise in cases of Clade 1b in the Democratic Republic of Congo and its spread to nearby countries.
