inp.polri.go.id - Secretary General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, declared global health emergency for the monkeypox after the disease has been spread to 75 countries. "I have declared that the monkeypox outbreak as public health emergency of international concern," Ghebreyesus said Saturday. Ghebreyesus also explained that more than 16,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported by 75 countries. So far, there have been five deaths from the infection. The statement emerged during the second meeting of the WHO emergency committee on monkeypox. However, Ghebreyesus admitted that the emergency committee had not been able to reach a consensus on whether monkeypox should be classified as a global health emergency or not. Apart from that, Ghebreyesus also said this epidemic had spread throughout the world quickly and needed international attention. However, little is known about the new transmission mode. "The WHO assessment is that the risk of monkeypox is growing globally, except in the European region, where we assess the risk to be high," Ghebreyesus said. He further explained that this emergency declaration would help accelerate the production of vaccines and the implementation of measures to limit the spread of the virus. WHO also released recommendations that are expected to encourage countries to take action. These measures include stopping the transmission of the virus and protecting those who are most vulnerable to infection. "This is an epidemic that can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups," said the WHO secretary-general.