WHO says no evidence monkeypox virus has mutated
Live MintThe World Health Organization does not have evidence that the monkeypox virus has mutated, a senior executive at the UN agency said. Rosamund Lewis, head of the smallpox secretariat that is part of the WHO Emergencies Programme, told a briefing that mutations tended to be typically lower with this virus, although genome sequencing of cases will help inform understanding of the current outbreak. US health officials sought to reassure the public that the risk of monkeypox is low and the country is prepared to handle its spread, though they acknowledged more cases are likely. While monkeypox doesn’t appear to be a major threat to the general public, health authorities say there’s a stockpile of vaccines and antivirals which are ready to use if needed.