Monkeypox is in the decline. According to WHO Chief Tedros, the number of weekly reported cases fell by more than 20% globally, neverthless new cases increased in the Americas, where we are continuing to see intense transmission.
In the early stages of the Monkeypox outbreak, most reported cases were in Europe, with a smaller proportion in the Americas.
That has now reversed, with less than 40% of reported cases in Europe and 60% in the Americas.
Monkeypox is still in an alarming state in the Americas
There are signs that the outbreak is slowing in Europe, where a combination of effective public health measures, behaviour change and vaccination are helping to prevent transmission.
However, in Latin America in particular, insufficient awareness or public health measures are combining with a lack of access to vaccines to fan the flames of the outbreak.
Yesterday, the manufacturer of one vaccine, Bavarian Nordic, signed an agreement with WHO’s Regional Office for the Americas to support access to its vaccine in Latin America and the Caribbean.
We thank Bavarian Nordic for this agreement, and we hope that it will help to bring the Monkeypox outbreak under control in the region.
WHO continues to encourage all countries to establish vaccine effectiveness studies to ensure data collection even while enhancing access.
