Ammon News - The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an international health emergency over the monkeypox outbreak, which has affected nearly 17,000 people in 74 countries.

The chief of the World Health Organization described the surge in monkeypox infection as "extraordinary", while triggering the highest level of alert on Saturday.

"We have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly through new modes of transmission about which we understand too little and which meets the criteria in the international health regulations," Euronews cited WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as saying at a press conference.

Declaring a "public health emergency of international concern", he said the risk of monkeypox was relatively high across the world, including in Europe and North America, where it is not normally found.

This is the first time the chief of the UN health agency has taken such an action.
An international emergency is the WHO's highest level of alert, but this designation does not mean a disease is especially lethal or infectious.