The World Health Organization (WHO) says it will keep its alert for mpox at the highest level amid a surge in cases.

A WHO committee made up of about a dozen independent experts made the decision at a meeting in Geneva on Friday, three months after the WHO first declared a public health emergency of global concern in August.

The WHO said its decision was “based on the rising number and continuing geographic spread of cases, operational challenges in the field, and the need to mount and sustain a cohesive response across countries and partners”.

There has been a surge in mpox cases this year, predominantly focused in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring countries.

A first batch of vaccines was rolled out last month and appears to have had an impact on containing cases of the highly contagious disease, but the United Nations agency has been waiting for substantial proof to discuss the impact of vaccinations.