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Ref.: C.L.27.2025
Extension of the Standing Recommendations for mpox
The Director-General of the World Health Organization presents his compliments to States
Parties to the International Health Regulations (2005) (hereinafter “the IHR”) and has the honour to
refer to Article 16 of the IHR. Pursuant to this provision, on 21 August 2023, the Director-General
issued standing recommendations to States Parties for mpox, and, on 21 August 2024, he extended
them until 20 August 2025. Those recommendations, and the extension thereof, were respectively
presented for the consideration of the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly in document
A77/8 Add.4, and for information to the Seventy-eight World Health Assembly in document
A78/INF./6.
Considering the evolution of the global epidemiological situation in relation to mpox (see
https://worldhealthorg.shinyapps.io/mpx_global/), a one-year extension of the above-mentioned set
of standing recommendations is regarded as necessary to prevent or reduce the international spread
of mpox, as well as its impact on health.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization will present for information to the
Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (18–23 May 2026) the above-mentioned set of standing
... recommendations for mpox, extended until 20 August 2026, as presented in the enclosure.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization takes this opportunity to renew to
States Parties to the IHR the assurance of his highest consideration.
GENEVA, 20 August 2025
... ENCL.: (1)
Enclosure
EXTENSION OF THE STANDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MPOX
ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION (WHO) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL
HEALTH REGULATIONS (2005) (IHR)
These standing recommendations are issued by the Director-General of the World Health
Organization (WHO) in accordance with provisions of Articles 16 to 18, and 50 to 53 of the
International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR or Regulations).
These standing recommendations, based on scientific principles and evidence, represent an
additional extension of the standing recommendations for mpox issued on 21 August 2023, 1 taking into
consideration the advice of the IHR Review Committee regarding standing recommendations for
mpox, 2 and subsequently extended on 21 August 2024. 3
The extension of these standing recommendations is necessary to support States Parties in
addressing the risk posed by mpox and to prevent or reduce the international spread of the disease, as
well as its impact on health.
These standing recommendations are in effect for all States Parties until 20 August 2026.
These standing recommendations may be modified or terminated prior to that time, in accordance
with Article 53 of the Regulations.
===
A. States Parties are recommended to develop and implement national mpox plans that build on
WHO strategic and technical guidance, outlining critical actions to sustain control of mpox
and achieve elimination of human-to-human transmission in all contexts through coordinated
and integrated policies, programmes and services. Actions are recommended to:
1. Incorporate lessons learned from evaluation of the response (such as through intra- or after-
action reviews) into related plans and policies in order to sustain, adapt, and promote key
elements of the response and inform public health policies and programmes.
2. Aim to eliminate human-to-human transmission of mpox by anticipating, detecting, preparing
for and responding to mpox outbreaks and taking action to reduce zoonotic transmission, as
appropriate.
3. Build and retain capacity in resource-limited settings, and among marginalized groups, where
mpox transmission continues to occur, to improve understanding of modes of transmission,
quantify resource needs, and detect and respond to outbreaks and community transmission.
1
Document A77/8 Add.4.
2
Document A77/8 Add.3.
3
Document A78/INF./6.
B. States Parties are recommended to, as a critical basis for actions outlined in A in support of
the elimination goal, establish and sustain laboratory-based surveillance and diagnostic
capacities to enhance outbreak detection and risk assessment. Actions are recommended to:
4. Include mpox as a notifiable disease in the national epidemiological surveillance system.
5. Strengthen diagnostic capacity at all levels of the health care system for laboratory and point of
care diagnostic confirmation of cases.
6. Ensure timely reporting of cases to WHO, as per WHO guidance and Case Reporting Form, in
particular reporting of confirmed cases with a relevant recent history of international travel.
7. Collaborate with other countries so that genomic sequencing is available in, or accessible to, all
countries. Share genetic sequence data and metadata through public databases.
8. Notify WHO about significant mpox-related events through IHR channels.
C. States Parties are recommended to enhance community protection through building capacity
for risk communication and community engagement, adapting public health and social
measures to local contexts and continuing to strive for equity and build trust with communities
through the following actions, particularly for those most at risk. Actions are recommended
to:
9. Communicate risk, build awareness, engage with affected communities and at-risk groups
through health authorities and civil society.
10. Implement interventions to prevent stigma and discrimination against any individuals or groups
that may be affected by mpox.
D. States Parties are recommended to initiate, continue, support, and collaborate on research to
generate evidence for mpox prevention and control, with a view to support elimination of
human-to-human transmission of mpox. Actions are recommended to:
11. Contribute to addressing the global research agenda to generate and promptly disseminate
evidence for key scientific, social, clinical, and public health aspects of mpox transmission,
prevention and control.
12. Conduct clinical trials of medical countermeasures, including diagnostics, vaccines and
therapeutics, in different populations, in addition to monitoring of their safety, effectiveness and
duration of protection.
13. States Parties in West, Central and East Africa should make additional efforts to elucidate mpox-
related risk, vulnerability and impact, including consideration of zoonotic, sexual, and other
modes of transmission in different demographic groups.
E. States Parties are recommended to apply the following measures related to international
travel. Actions are recommended to:
14. Encourage authorities, health care providers and community groups to provide travelers with
relevant information to protect themselves and others before, during and after travel to events or
gatherings where mpox may present a risk.
15. Advise individuals suspected or known to have mpox, or who may be a contact of a case, to
adhere to measures to avoid exposing others, including in relation to international travel.
16. Refrain from implementing travel-related health measures specific for mpox, such as entry or exit
screening, or requirements for testing or vaccination.
F. States Parties are encouraged to continue providing guidance and coordinating resources for
delivery of optimally integrated clinical care for mpox, including access to specific treatment
and supportive measures to protect health workers and caregivers as appropriate. States
Parties are encouraged to take actions to:
17. Ensure provision of optimal clinical care with infection prevention and control measures in place
for suspected and confirmed mpox in all clinical settings. Ensure training of health care providers
accordingly and provide personal protective equipment.
18. Integrate mpox detection, prevention, care and research within HIV and sexually transmitted
disease prevention and control programmes, and other health services as appropriate.
G. States Parties are encouraged to work towards ensuring equitable access to safe, effective and
quality-assured countermeasures for mpox, including through resource mobilization
mechanisms. States Parties are encouraged to take action to:
19. Strengthen provision of and access to diagnostics, genomic sequencing, vaccines, and
therapeutics for the most affected communities, including in resource-constrained settings where
mpox occurs regularly, and including for men who have sex with men and groups at risk of
heterosexual transmission, with special attention to those most marginalized within those
groups.
20. Make mpox vaccines available for primary prevention (pre-exposure) and post-exposure
vaccination for persons and communities at risk of mpox, taking into account recommendations
of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).
Geneva, 20 August 2025
===
Saatja:
[email protected]
Teema: WHO: C.L.27.2025 (Extension of the standing recommendations for mpox)
Kuupäev: 2025-08-20 09:16
Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga.
Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada.
Dear States Parties to the International health Regulations (2005) (IHR)
Please find attached, in the six official languages, C.L.27.2025 regarding
the extension of the standing recommendations for mpox.
Best regards,
Department of Governing Bodies
World Health Organization
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