The World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Office for Europe on Wednesday launched a new campaign called "Eliminating mpox: Placing affected populations at the heart of our response" to highlight the potential risk of a significant monkeypox (mpox) outbreak.

Axar.az reports that although mpox is no longer considered a public health emergency of international concern, recent reports from WHO Europe show an increase in cases, with 17 new infections reported in eight countries in the European region in the four weeks leading up to May 4.

The campaign is meant to be a preemptive response to potential outbreak triggers, such as large gatherings for spring and summer events, inadequate testing and vaccine access, or the influx of infected individuals from other regions.

Key recommendations for health authorities include promoting accessible testing and vaccination in the most affected communities, with clear information on availability and eligibility.

Other measures include developing comprehensive vaccination plans, enhancing health worker skills to identify mpox signs and offer appropriate advice and care, and declaring mpox a nationally notifiable disease to expedite detection and efficient outbreak response.