The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that mpox, formerly called monkeypox, is not the new Covid-19.

The WHO declared a global health emergency last Wednesday (August 14), due to the rapid spread of mpox. 

The virus has appeared in dozens of African countries but has also had ties to the UK in the past.

This is the second time in three years that the WHO has designated an mpox epidemic as a global emergency (previously doing so in July 2022).

Mpox "not the new Covid" World Health Organisation declares

A World Health Organization official, according to Reuters, has now revealed the mpox outbreak "is not the new covid" as as "authorities know how to control its spread".

"We can and must tackle mpox together," said WHO regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, in a UN media briefing.

"So will we choose to put the systems in place to control and eliminate mpox globally? Or we will enter another cycle of panic and neglect?

"How we respond now and in the years to come will prove a critical test for Europe and the world."

How mpox (monkeypox) is transmitted

  • Any close physical contact with monkeypox blisters or scabs (including during sexual contact, kissing, cuddling, or holding hands).
  • Touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with mpox.
  • The coughs or sneezes of a person with monkeypox when they're close to you.

Mpox (monkeypox) signs and symptoms

According to the NHS, it can take between five and 21 days for symptoms to appear after you first get infected with mpox.

Symptoms include:

  • a high temperature
  • a headache
  • muscle aches
  • backache
  • swollen glands
  • shivering (chills)
  • exhaustion
  • joint pain

A rash, which is sometimes confused with chickenpox, usually appears one to five days after the first symptoms, often beginning on the face before spreading to other parts of the body. This can include the mouth, genitals, and anus.

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How to protect yourself

Clean your hands regularly with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

Know the symptoms if you’re sexually active, especially with new partners. Talk to partners about their sexual health and remember symptoms can take three weeks to develop, so keep checking yourself.

Swap contact details if hooking up with someone new.

If you have symptoms, take a break from all intimate contact (including kissing) until you’ve seen a doctor and had the all-clear. If you’re recovering from an mpox infection, remember to use condoms for 12 weeks as a precaution.