World Health Organization (WHO) will hold an emergency committee meeting in Geneva on Thursday to assess whether to list monkeypox as a "public health emergency of international concern," Zhitong Financial APP has learned. This has drawn criticism from leading African scientists, who say the monkeypox epidemic has been raging in the region for years.

It is understood that "public health emergencies of international concern" is the highest level of warning that World Health Organization (WHO) has the right to issue. At present, only the COVID-19 epidemic and polio are classified as such events.

Monkeypox does not spread as easily as novel coronavirus, and there are available vaccines and treatments, which is different from the situation when novel coronavirus broke out. But it still sounded the alarm.

It is reported that the number of monkeypox cases outside Africa has exceeded 3000 since May, and no deaths have been reported.

"when a disease affects developing countries, it is not an emergency. It becomes an emergency only when developed countries are affected, "said Professor Emmanuel Nakoune, acting director of the Bangui Pasteur Institute (Institut Pasteur) in the Central African Republic. He is conducting a trial to treat monkeypox.

However, Nakoune said it would still be an important step if World Health Organization (WHO) declared a state of emergency. "if there is political will to share responses fairly between developed and developing countries... Every country will benefit, "he said.

Clare Wenham, assistant professor of global health at the London School of Economics, said World Health Organization (WHO) was in danger after the COVID-19 epidemic. Wenham said that if World Health Organization (WHO) declared a state of emergency and countries did not take action, it could weaken the agency's role in controlling global diseases.

As of press time, some monkeypox concept stocks were up before trading, with Tonix Pharmaceuticals (TNXP.US) up nearly 4% and SIGA Technologies (SIGA.US) up nearly 2%.