The World Health Organization says nearly 200 cases of smallpox have been reported in more than 20 countries that are not usually known to have outbreaks of the unusual disease, but describes the epidemic as “sustainable” and suggests creating a reserve for fair sharing. limited vaccines and drugs available worldwide.
During a public briefing on Friday, the UN health agency said there were still many unanswered questions about what caused the unprecedented outbreak of monkeypox outside Africa, but there was no evidence that any genetic changes in the virus were responsible.
“The first sequence of the virus shows that the strain is no different from the strains we can find in endemic countries, and (this outbreak) is probably more due to a change in human behavior,” said Dr. Sylvie Bryan, WHO’s director of pandemics. and epidemic diseases.
Earlier this week, a senior WHO adviser said the epidemic in Europe, the United States, Israel, Australia and beyond was likely linked to sex at two recent raves in Spain and Belgium. This is a significant departure from the typical pattern of disease spread in Central and West Africa, where humans are infected mainly by animals such as wild rodents and primates and outbreaks have not spread across borders.
The best of Express Premium
PremiumPremiumPremiumPremium
Although the WHO has said that nearly 200 cases of monkeypox have been reported, this seems likely an understatement. Spanish authorities said on Friday that the number of cases there had risen to 98, including a woman whose infection was “directly linked” to a transmission chain that had previously been restricted to men, according to officials in the Madrid region.
UK officials have added 16 more cases to their monkeypox count, making Britain a total of 106, while Portugal has said the number has jumped to 74. And Argentine authorities on Friday reported a case of monkeypox in a man from Buenos Aires, marking the first infection in Latin America. Officials said the man had recently traveled to Spain and now had symptoms corresponding to monkeypox, including lesions and fever.
Doctors in the UK, Spain, Portugal, Canada, the United States and elsewhere have noted that the majority of infections so far have been in gays and bisexual men or men who have sex with men. The disease is less likely to affect people because of their sexual orientation, and scientists warn that the virus can infect others if transmission is not curtailed.
Brian of the WHO said that based on how past outbreaks have developed in Africa, the current situation seems “possible”.
Buy now Our best subscription plan already has a special price
However, she said the WHO expects to see more cases reported in the future, noting that “we don’t know if we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg (or) if there are many more cases not found in the communities,” she said. .
As countries, including Britain, Germany, Canada and the United States, begin to assess how smallpox vaccines can be used to stem the epidemic, the WHO said its expert group was evaluating the evidence and would provide guidance soon.
Dr Rosamund Lewis, head of the WHO’s smallpox department, said there was “no need for mass vaccination”, explaining that monkeypox was not easily spread and usually required skin-to-skin contact for transmission. No special vaccines against monkeypox have been developed, but the WHO estimates that smallpox vaccines are about 85% effective.
She said vaccine supply countries could consider them for those at high risk of the disease, such as close contact with patients or healthcare professionals, but that monkeypox can be mostly controlled by isolating contacts and ongoing epidemiological studies.
Given the limited global supply of smallpox vaccines, WHO Emergency Situations Chief Dr Mike Ryan said the agency would work with its member states to potentially develop a centrally controlled warehouse similar to those it has helped. to spread during outbreaks of yellow fever, meningitis and cholera in countries that can not afford them.
“We’re talking about providing vaccines for a targeted vaccination campaign, for targeted therapies,” Ryan said. “So the volumes don’t have to be large, but each country may need access to a small amount of vaccine.”
Most patients with monkeypox experience only fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious illnesses can develop rashes and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body.
Add Comment