Summarised by Centrist
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has made it clear that the recent mpox outbreak is not comparable to COVID-19 and will not lead to lockdowns or similar restrictive measures. “Are we going to go in lockdown in the WHO European region like it’s another COVID-19? The answer is clearly: ‘no,’” stated Han Kluge, WHO’s regional director for Europe, during a media briefing.
Kluge said that previous outbreaks were controlled through targeted community engagement, particularly with men who have sex with men, and not through widespread lockdowns.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, has raised global concerns due to a reportedly more easily transmissible subvariant of the Clade I strain, Clade Ib, which has begun spreading outside of Africa.
However, WHO officials, including Kluge, maintain that the virus does not spread as easily through the air as COVID-19 and is primarily transmitted through close physical contact, including sexual activity.
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic also noted that there are currently no recommendations for mask-wearing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States described the current risk from mpox as low, particularly in relation to the Clade I variant. However, they cautioned that the situation could evolve, especially if cases spread beyond Africa.
