The World Health Organisation has opted against calling the recent monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

The outbreak is “clearly an evolving threat”, the WHO said in a statement on Saturday, though it doesn’t constitute an international public health emergency “at this moment”. An emergency committee was convened on Thursday to discuss the outbreak. 

“What makes the current outbreak especially concerning is the rapid, continuing spread into new countries and regions and the risk of further, sustained transmission into vulnerable populations, including people that are immunocompromised, pregnant women and children,” said the WHO. “It requires our collective attention and coordinated action now to stop the further spread of monkeypox virus.”..