Geneva, Aug 26 (IANS) The number of newly reported monkeypox cases has decreased worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
In the week from August 15-21, there were 21 per cent fewer cases than in the previous week, dpa news agency quoted the global health body as saying in a statement issued on Thursday.
In the previous four weeks, the numbers had been rising.
"This decrease may reflect early signs of a declining case count in the European region, which would need to be subsequently confirmed," said the statement.
The European Region includes 53 countries from the EU to Turkey, Turkmenistan, Russia and Israel.
In the North and South America region, however, the numbers continued to rise.
Worldwide, 5,907 cases were reported during the week, compared to 7,477 the week before.
In total, some 41,600 infections and 12 deaths have been reported to the WHO from 96 countries since the beginning of the year.
Presently, the US has the highest number of cases at 15,877.
In a big victory for India and reprieve for Kulbhushan Jadhav, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Wednesday ordered Pakistan not to execute him and asked it to reconsider the sentence awarded to him by a military court.
The accused strangled her and then submerged her in a bathtub of water. He was arrested by international authorities and extradited back to the US, reports said.
India has urged the ICJ to cancel Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence and order his immediate release, saying the verdict by a Pakistani military court was based on a "farcical case".
Arumugam Veerasamy, who was wanted for culpable homicide since 1986, managed to evade authorities for more than 30 years, as his name was misspelt on his work permit and in the police gazette issued against him, reported the Channel News Asia.
