Mpox virus. Monkey pox. WHO “already orders lockdowns”?

After the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on August 14, 2024 She announced mpox disease (formerly monkeypox) a global threat to public health, information began to spread on social media – primarily on Facebook – that at the same time WHO ordered governments to prepare to introduce new, severe restrictions, so-called lockdowns. Some Internet users even write about “megalockdowns”, which the authorities of countries associated with WHO are already preparing for.

“WHO orders government to prepare for 'mega lockdowns' due to 'deadly strain of monkeypox'”; “WHO has announced that authorities are to be prepared for mega lockdowns due to deadly monkeypox”; “Urgent! WHO is already ordering lockdowns! What do you think, will the 15 October Coalition introduce any restrictions? For example, hours for seniors in stores?” – such information is shared by Internet users on Facebook and the X website (original spelling of posts). The most popular one we found has almost 90 thousand views.

For many commentators, these reports are confirmation of conspiracy theories that mpox – like COVID-19 – was artificially created to restrict freedom through lockdowns, including before the presidential election in the United States. “Specially before the US elections. oh okay”; “The question is, do they think people will be fooled a second time, or maybe worse – do they know they won't succeed?”; “People need to be kept in front of their TVs until the elections”; “If necessary, they will do whatever they are told… I hope people won't be fooled this time” – write Internet users.

However, this message is untrue for several reasons.

The authors of the posts about preparations for the “megalockdowns” ordered by the WHO referred to article August 14, 2024, titled: “WHO tells governments to prepare for 'mega lockdowns' due to 'deadly monkeypox'”. It was posted on Thepeoplesvoice.tv, and although the title assured that it was “verified by The People's Voice community,” the site is known for posting false information. In 2017, BuzzFeed named it the second largest source of fake news spread on Facebook. The EU's East StratCom Task Force accused NewsPunch – The People's Voice's predecessor – of repeating Russian propaganda.

However, one does not even need to know these facts to recognize that the reports of preparations for lockdowns are untrue. They appear only in the sensational title of the article and the lead, but the word “lockdown” or “restrictions” is never mentioned in the content; the author does not explain anywhere what the WHO “orders” or the “preparations” for introducing possible restrictions would consist of.

Paradoxically, the text provides several facts that even show that WHO does not recommend introducing restrictions known from the COVID-19 pandemic. As the author rightly informs, on August 14, 2024, WHO declared mpox (the new official name for monkeypox) a global public health threat. The disease has been given PHEIC status (public health emergency of international concern), which is the highest level of health alert at the international level. However, these facts do not mean any recommendations related to restrictions or even lockdowns.

IN official WHO statement regarding the introduction of an alert in connection with mpox, it was stated that the organization's director general “will issue interim recommendations to countries.” They were published August 19th. There is no mention of lockdowns or other restrictions on movement.. The recommendations concern, among others, strengthening epidemiological surveillance, expanding diagnostics, strengthening systems for informing about risk among people or preparing for the introduction of a vaccine in crisis situations. Regarding international traffic, the WHO recommends cross-border “supervision and management of suspected cases of mpox and providing information to travelers and transport operators” – but emphasizes that this should take place “without resorting to blanket travel and trade restrictions that unnecessarily impact local, regional or national economies” (bold by the editors).

In the context of the information about the alleged “order” of the WHO, it is worth noting that this organization has no legal power to order member countries to introduce any restrictions. As during the COVID-19 pandemic, national governments themselves decide on the restrictions applied on their territory. The role of the WHO is limited to issuing recommendations, which member states may or may not follow. This fact was pointed out by the WHO spokeswoman, who Lead Stories Portal asked for comment on the message about the alleged order for states to prepare for restrictions in connection with mpox. Dr. Margaret Harris explains:

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a rare disease caused by infection with the mpox virus. It was first diagnosed in Denmark in 1958, when two colonies of monkeys kept for research purposes had two outbreaks of a smallpox-like disease. The source of the disease remains unknown. The virus is now spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other West African countries, but this is the first case of infection outside that continent confirmed August 15, 2024 in Sweden.

READ MORE: Mpox a “global health threat.” What you need to know about the dangerous new type of virus

WHO indicates that “anyone can become infected” with mpox. The routes of transmission of the virus include primarily contact with infected animals and people. Infection can also occur through contact with objects used by patients, such as bedding or clothing. There have also been cases of transmission of the virus to unborn children by pregnant women.

Symptoms of mpox usually appear within three weeks of contact with the virus. Initially, they include: high fever (over 38.5 degrees Celsius), generalized or localized enlargement of lymph nodes, headache, back pain, and significant weakness. After 1-3 days, the patient develops a rash (in the order: spots, papules, vesicles, pustules, scabs). The rash usually begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body. It can appear on the hands, feet, chest, face, lips, or genitals. It lasts for about 2-4 weeks. The scars that form as a result are deep, but fade over time. No targeted treatment for mpox has been developed so far, and patients with this disease are treated symptomatically. The mortality rate of mpox varies depending on the specific type of disease: in the case of the most dangerous variant I, it is about 10 percent.

This is not the first time that WHO has declared mpox a global health threat. The previous declaration was in July 2022 and lifted in May 2023. Even then, there were a lot of conspiracy theories surrounding the disease, which we verified in Konkret24. At that time, there were no restrictions on movement or lockdowns. Also now, reports of alleged lockdowns that countries are preparing for at the request of the WHO are untrue.

READ MORE IN KONKRET24: A Created Epidemic Caused by Vaccines – Monkey Pox Conspiracy Theories