The World Health Organization(WHO) is set to decide on whether to retain the status of public health emergency of international concern(PHEIC) for COVID-19, three years after the global outbreak of the virus.

The decision will be discussed ​during a session of the WHO's International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Friday, where response capabilities of the international community and the possible emergence of new variants will be assessed.

Participants are also expected to consider the recent spike of infections in China, as well as the rapid transmission of the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5. 

PHEIC is the WHO's highest risk level for public health, and it currently applies to COVID-19, mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, and polio.

Since COVID-19 was first designated in late January 2020, the WHO has reviewed its status every quarter for the past three years. The previous review was conducted last October.