BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The recent confirmed or suspected cases of monkeypox in Europe have continued to increase. The World Health Organization is concerned that monkeypox cases in many countries may indicate that monkeypox virus has been insidiously transmitted in the community, and the number of infections may further increase in the future.
"Max"
As of the 20th, at least 9 countries in Europe have reported confirmed cases of monkeypox, including the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. Outside Europe, confirmed cases of monkeypox have also been reported in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Exterior view of the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, taken on May 20, 2021. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Junxia
The first case of infection in this round of monkeypox was confirmed in Europe on the 7th, which is a British returning from Nigeria. So far, the United Kingdom has confirmed a total of 20 cases of monkeypox patients, a total of 30 cases in Spain, and a total of 23 cases in Portugal. Reuters aggregate data shows that there are currently more than 100 confirmed and suspected cases of monkeypox virus infection in Europe.
Pedestrians walk down a street in central London, England, on December 9, 2021. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Stephen Cheng)
According to the German military medical department, this is the "largest" monkeypox outbreak experienced in Europe.
Monkeypox outbreaks have typically occurred in Central and West Africa. Since 1970, a total of 11 African countries have reported confirmed cases of monkeypox, According to Reuters. According to WHO data, Nigeria reports about 3,000 cases of monkeypox virus infection a year, and 46 suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported so far this year, of which 15 have been confirmed.
"Atypical"
Hans Kruger, who is the director of the WHO European region, said on the 20th that unlike the previous monkeypox epidemic in Africa, the recent monkeypox epidemic in Europe is "atypical": except for one infected person, other infected people have no travel history in the monkeypox epidemic risk area; most infected people are confirmed by STD clinic examination; confirmed cases are found throughout Europe and even outside Europe.
Pedestrians walk on a snow-covered road near the Art Hill in Brussels, Belgium, on April 7, 2021. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zheng Huansong
Krugé said that with the arrival of summer and the increase in gatherings, "I am afraid that the spread will accelerate."
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease, monkeypox virus can be transmitted to humans by animals through close contact, although it is not easy to spread from person to person, but close contact with infected people can also be infected, such as contact with the infected person's skin lesions, body fluids, droplets, etc.
Epidemiologists say the cause of the monkeypox outbreak in Europe is not yet clear, and it is unclear whether the monkeypox virus will be transmitted through sexual or sex-related close contact. Scientists are sequencing viral genes to confirm whether there is an association between different infected people, or whether monkeypox viruses have variants that lead to increased infectivity.
Smallpox vaccine
Although the number of monkeypox infections in Europe is likely to increase further, epidemiologists believe that the Monkeypox outbreak in Europe is unlikely to develop into a global epidemic.
Fabian Lundez of the Robert Koch Institute, a German disease control agency, said the monkeypox outbreak is unlikely to last long and that "by tracing close contacts, these cases can be well isolated and, if necessary, drugs and effective vaccines can be used".
This is the "2G+" epidemic prevention regulation posted outside a restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany, photographed on January 10. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Lu Yang
There is currently no specific monkeypox vaccine, but WHO data shows that the smallpox vaccine is as effective as 85% against monkeypox virus. The UK government has begun offering smallpox vaccines to some health workers or people at risk of exposure to the monkeypox virus.
According to Christian Hapi, director of the African Centre for Demonstration Of Infectious Diseases, a reduction in smallpox vaccination after WHO declared the eradication of smallpox in 1980 may have contributed to the spread of monkeypox outbreaks in Europe.
The initial symptoms of monkeypox infection include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, lymphadenopathy, etc., which can then develop into a widespread rash on the face and body. Most infected people recover within a few weeks, but some are seriously ill or even die. At present, no deaths have been reported in the Monkeypox outbreak in Europe. (Liu Xiuling)
Source: Xinhua News Agency