The claim: The WHO ordered nations to prepare for ‘mega lockdowns’ because of mpox
An Aug. 16 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows an image of the World Health Organization’s Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, beneath the headline of an article in The People’s Voice.
“WHO Orders Govt’s To Prepare for ‘Mega Lockdowns’ Due to ‘Deadly Monkeypox’ Strain,” the headline reads.
The post was shared more than 1,000 times in three days. A similar claim shared on Instagram received more than a thousand likes.
Our rating: False
The WHO has not ordered any nation to prepare for a lockdown and lacks the authority to do so, a spokesperson said. The claim originated on a website that routinely publishes misinformation.
WHO ‘cannot and has not’ issued lockdown order
More than 14,000 mpox cases have been reported globally in 2024, a total that exceeds the 2023 count. Cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo spread to nearby countries, prompting the WHO to declare mpox, an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus, a global public health emergency for the second time since 2022.
But contrary to the claim in the post, the organization did not issue any orders to prepare for lockdowns, spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic told USA TODAY.
“WHO cannot and has not ordered governments to prepare for ‘mega lockdowns’ or any kind of lockdown due to mpox,” Jasarevic said in an email.
The opening sentence of the Aug. 15 article claims the WHO “has ordered government’s (sic) to prepare to initiate tough new lockdowns due to the ‘strong likelihood’” that a new strain of the disease will lead to a pandemic.
But there is no mention of lockdowns, quarantines or other restrictive measures in the WHO’s Aug. 14 declaration or in Tedros’ public remarks that day about it. Nor are there any credible media reports of any reference to a “strong likelihood” of an mpox pandemic. Rather, published reports suggest the opposite is true, explaining that – unlike the airborne COVID-19 virus – mpox is spread primarily through close, skin-to-skin contact or through soiled laundry, making a pandemic unlikely.
More broadly, the WHO does not have the power to issue an order to governments around the world, Jasarevic said, adding that its role as a scientific and technical organization is to advise and support its 194 member nations. While the WHO issues public health recommendations, each member has the option to make its own decisions, he said.
In announcing the public health emergency, Tedros referenced a necessary “coordinated international response,” including increased access to vaccines and $15 million in funds for disease surveillance, preparedness and response. He made no mention of travel restrictions.
The claim runs counter to the WHO’s recommendation that nations not impose travel restrictions on affected countries. Those recommendations – which were issued after the previous mpox health emergency expired in May 2023 and were due to expire on Aug. 20 – were extended for a year, Jasarevic said.
The People’s Voice, previously known as NewsPunch, has repeatedly published fabricated stories. Among the many debunked by USA TODAY are false claims that New Hampshire banned “chemtrails” and that former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said only Bill Gates “can save humanity.”
USA TODAY reached out to The People’s Voice and to the social media user who shared the post but did not immediately receive responses.
AFP also debunked the claim.
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This article was originally appeared on USA TODAY
