世界卫生组织7月23日宣布，在多个国家和地区发生的猴痘疫情已构成“国际关注的突发公共卫生事件”。这是世卫组织发布的最高级别警报。世卫组织总干事谭德塞指出，尽管目前猴痘疫情影响国际交通的风险仍然很低，但其在国际进一步传播的风险明显存在。

 

The monkeypox outbreak has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization.

世界卫生组织日前宣布，猴痘疫情已构成国际关注的突发公共卫生事件。

 

The classification is the highest alert that the WHO can issue and follows a worldwide upsurge in cases.

这是世卫组织可以发布的最高级别公共卫生警报。此前猴痘病例在世界范围内出现激增。

 

It came at the end of the second meeting of the WHO's emergency committee on the virus.

世卫组织第二次紧急委员会开会讨论猴痘疫情后发布了该警报。

 

More than 16,000 cases have now been reported from 75 countries, said WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

世界卫生组织总干事谭德塞博士表示，目前全球已有75个国家出现猴痘疫情，总病例人数超过1.6万。

 

There had been five deaths so far as a result of the outbreak, he added.

谭德塞透露，截至目前，全球共有5人死于猴痘疫情。

 

There are only two other such health emergencies at present - the coronavirus pandemic and the continuing effort to eradicate polio.

除了猴痘疫情，当前发布的国际关注的突发公共卫生事件只有新冠肺炎疫情和脊髓灰质炎疫情。

 

Dr Tedros said the emergency committee had been unable to reach a consensus on whether the monkeypox outbreak should be classified as a global health emergency.

谭德塞博士表示，在世卫组织第二次紧急委员会上，委员会专家对于猴痘疫情是否构成国际关注的突发公共卫生事件并未达成共识。

 

However, he said the outbreak had spread around the world rapidly and he had decided that it was indeed of international concern.

然而，谭德塞指出，猴痘疫情在世界各地迅速蔓延，他认为猴痘疫情确实已达到国际关注级别。

 

Too little was understood about the new modes of transmission which had allowed it to spread, said Dr Tedros.

谭德塞博士指出，现在对于猴痘病毒的新传播模式知之甚少。

 

"The WHO's assessment is that the risk of monkeypox is moderate globally and in all regions, except in the European region, where we assess the risk as high," he added.

谭德塞补充道：“世卫组织评估认为，欧洲是猴痘高风险地区，全球其他地区为中风险。”

 

There was also a clear risk of further international spread, although the risk of interference with international traffic remained low for the moment, he said.

谭德塞指出，尽管目前猴痘疫情影响国际交通的风险仍然很低，但其在国际进一步传播的风险明显。

 

Dr Tedros said the declaration would help speed up the development of vaccines and the implementation of measures to limit the spread of the virus.

谭德塞博士称，宣布猴痘疫情为国际关注的突发公共卫生事件有助于加速疫苗研发和落实防疫措施。

 

The WHO is also issuing recommendations which it hopes will spur countries to take action to stop transmission of the virus and protect those most at risk.

世卫组织还发布了一系列疫情防控建议，希望能促使各国采取措施来阻断病毒传播，保护易感人群。

 

Monkeypox was first discovered in central Africa in the 1950s.

猴痘病毒最早于上世纪50年代在中非被发现。

 

Health officials are already recommending people at highest risk of exposure to monkeypox - including some gay and bisexual men, as well as some healthcare workers - should be offered a vaccine.

世卫组织官员建议为感染猴痘病毒高风险人群提供疫苗，这一人群包括同性恋和双性恋男性，以及一些医务工作人员。

 

Initial symptoms typically include a high fever, swollen lymph nodes and a blistery, chickenpox-like rash or lesions - often on the mouth or genitals in the recent cases. Infections are usually mild.

感染猴痘病毒的典型早期症状包括高热、淋巴结肿大、类似水痘的水疱和皮疹，近期病例的皮疹多见于口腔或生殖器。感染猴痘通常症状轻微。