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On the 14th, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the monkeypox epidemic once again constituted an "international public health emergency". This is the second time since July 2022 that the WHO has issued the highest level warning stipulated in the International Health Regulations regarding the monkeypox epidemic.

The WHO held an emergency committee meeting on the monkeypox outbreak that day. Tedros said at a press conference after the meeting: "Today, the emergency committee held a meeting and advised me that the current situation constitutes an 'international public health emergency'. I adopted this advice."

The chairman of the emergency committee, Dimi Ogoina, said that the 15 committee members attending the meeting unanimously agreed that the current surge in monkeypox cases was "unusual" and many members were worried that what is known about the monkeypox epidemic in Africa "is actually just the tip of the iceberg" and that if monitoring efforts are not increased, "it will be impossible to get the full picture."

According to multiple media reports, the new strain that is spreading rapidly on the African continent and is more deadly is a variant of the monkeypox virus "branch I" called "branch Ib". It began to spread in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in September last year, initially among sex workers and has now spread to other groups.

Tedros said that the monkeypox epidemic has now spread to Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, countries that have never reported monkeypox cases, and the scope of transmission may further expand, "which is very worrying." The monkeypox epidemic "should arouse everyone's concern" and international cooperation is essential to respond.

According to the Associated Press, the declaration of a "public health emergency of international concern" is intended to call on countries and institutions to take action and provide financial support to respond to the epidemic. Tedros confirmed on the same day that the WHO has allocated $1.5 million in emergency funds and it is expected that the first batch of funds will require $15 million.