WHO chief mulls calling emergency committee on mpox

The World Health Organization's chief said Sunday he was considering convening an expert committee to advise on whether the growing mpox outbreak in Africa should be declared an international emergency.

Since last September, cases have surged in the Democratic Republic of Congo due to a strain of the virus which has recently been detected in nearby African countries.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the UN health agency, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, local governments and partners were increasing their response to the outbreak.

"But more funding and support for a comprehensive response are needed," Tedros said on the social media platform X.