WHO to follow monkeypox outbreak in affected countries

Another 50 cases require further investigation by health officials.

Monkeypox is typical for tropical rainforest regions, such as across Central and West Africa. Nevertheless, the outbreak is currently developing in other areas of the world.

According to WHO, the organization is "working with the affected countries and others to expand disease surveillance to find and support people who may be affected, and to provide guidance on how to manage the disease."

Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom are currently affected by the disease. Australia, Canada, and the United States have also reported cases. As monkeypox has a different transmission mechanism when compared to Covid-19, citizens are urged "to stay informed from reliable sources, such as national health authorities".

Hans Kluge, Europe Regional Director for the UN agency, declared that transmission is not connected to travelling to endemic countries, but rather to sexual intercourse between man. Nevertheless, cases so far have been mild and atypical.

“Monkeypox is usually a self-limiting illness, and most of those infected will recover within a few weeks without treatment. However, the disease can be more severe, especially in young children, pregnant women, and individuals who are immunocompromised”, Dr. Kluge commented.

The World Health Organization is currently paying considerable efforts to find the original source of the contaminations, the exact transmission route and the way in which further infections could be prevented, with affected countries receiving full support across all medical and disease management actions.

“The identification of confirmed and suspected cases of monkeypox with no direct travel links to an endemic area represents a highly unusual event. Surveillance to date in non-endemic areas has been limited, but is now expanding. WHO expects that more cases in non-endemic areas will be reported.

“Epidemiological investigations are ongoing, however, reported cases thus far have no established travel links to endemic areas. Based on currently available information, cases have mainly but not exclusively been identified amongst men who have sex with men (MSM) seeking care in primary care and sexual health clinics”, a recent report quotes.

The monkeypox virus is generally transmitted from wild animals (rodents and primates), as well as by close contact with infected people (skin lesions, body fluids, sexual intercourse, contaminated materials). First symptoms of the illness are fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. Infected individuals require immediate isolation and medical attention.

Case numbers are expected to increase in the near future.

“As we enter the summer season in the European Region, with mass gatherings, festivals and parties, I am concerned that transmission could accelerate, as the cases currently being detected are among those engaging in sexual activity, and the symptoms are unfamiliar to many,” added Dr. Hans Kluge.

The endemic countries that have been identified by WHO are Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone.

As for prevention, the same measures implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as frequent handwashing aa well as social distancing, could significantly reduce the number of infections.

 

Source: news.un.org, hindustantimes.com