I have been watching the numbers and they have been growing steady on a reclining exponential curve for 2 months. I would have called it a major concern months ago. Fortunately no-one in the rich countries has died from monkeypox but according to the WHO 5 people have died in Africa. I do not know if it is the old clades of Nigeria or Congo or if it is the new strain that suddenly appeared in the UK with 50 mutations.

In any case the WHO has made its move. Story reported here.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/23/monkeypox-who-declares-public-health-emergency-of-international-concern

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/23/health/monkeypox-pandemic-who.html

If you want to know more about monkeypox, click on my name and search monkeypox in tab below my name.

Last I Looked MPXV was in 60 odd countries and there were about 15,500 cases, and it was doubling every 12 days. I even suggested 2 months ago that it may be mid July before they declare monkeypox an emergency.

I am not sure about the deaths reported by the WHO but I do know that 13% of all infected finish up in hospital. With 100-500 million cases expected by Christmas there will me much upheaval even if nobody dies. We are talking about tens of millions in hospital, as monkeypox can affect the brain (mainly swelling) and the eyes and can kill. The case fatality rate (CFR) is 1% for the Nigerian clade which is similar to the one being transmitted around the western world now. The CFR for children is 3%. For the clade from Congo the CFR is 10% generally and 30% in children. We have measure to combat MPX such as quarantine, tracing and small pox vaccine given to the close contacts only (if they bloody well want it too, no mandating).