Monkeypox case tally hits 50,000, transmission slows down in US, Europe
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the Americas account for more than half of reported cases as several countries in the continent continue to see increasing numbers of infections.
The WHO triggered its highest level of alarm on July 24, classifying monkeypox as a public health emergency of international concern, alongside Covid-19.
More than 50,000 monkeypox cases have been recorded in the global outbreak, WHO figures show, though transmission is slowing in the virus hotspots of Europe and the United States.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization's dashboard listed 50,496 cases and 16 deaths as reported this year to the UN agency, which declared the outbreak a global public health emergency in July.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the declines in new infections proved the outbreak could be halted.
"In the Americas, which accounts for more than half of reported cases, several countries continue to see increasing numbers of infections, although it is encouraging to see a sustained downward trend in Canada," he told a press conference.
Cases have been reported from 101 territories, though only 52 have reported new cases in the last seven days — of which 27 were reporting numbers in single figures.
The countries which have reported more than a thousand cases to the WHO in total are the United States (17,994), Spain (6,543), Brazil (4,693), France (3,547), Germany (3,467), Britain (3,413), Peru (1,463), Canada (1,228) and the Netherlands (1,160).
READ MORE: WHO reports over 20 percent decline in monkeypox cases globally
Fighting monkeypox
A surge in monkeypox infections has been reported since early May, outside the African countries where it has long been endemic.
"Eliminating monkeypox needs three things: the evidence that it's possible, which we are now beginning to see; political will and commitment; and the implementation of public health measures in the communities that need them most," said Tedros.
"We don't have to live with monkeypox."
Meanwhile, the WHO's Europe chief said on Tuesday he saw "encouraging" signs that the outbreak was slowing on the continent and heading "in the right direction".
The number of new US infections appears to have recently slowed slightly, according to data from health authorities.
READ MORE: WHO: Scientists researching if mutations are driving monkeypox spread
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