Dr Kluge said the risk to the general population was low.
“Are we going to go in lockdown in the WHO European region, it’s another Covid-19? The answer is clearly: ‘no’,” he said.
“Two years ago, we controlled mpox in Europe thanks to the direct engagement with the most affected communities of men who have sex with men,” Dr Kluge said.
“In 2022, mpox showed us it can spread quickly around the world.
“We can, and must, tackle mpox together – across regions and continents.
“Will we choose to put the systems in place to control and eliminate mpox globally or will we enter another cycle of panic, then neglect?”
About 100 new Clade II cases were now being reported in the European region every month, Dr Kluge added.
Travellers to affected areas in Africa have been advised to consider vaccination.
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said the WHO was not recommending the use of masks.
“We are not recommending mass vaccination. We are recommending to use vaccines in outbreak settings for the groups who are most at risk,” he added.
