“There is no more monkey epidemic activity in the world“Says Antoine Flaault, director of the Institute for Global Health (ISG) in Geneva. This disease has been renamedMpox:According to the World Health Organization (WHO), late July to early August 2022 was the peak of the epidemic, almost everywhere in the world. Western Europe, especially Spain and France, was the first region to be affected by this wave.”occurred outside endemic areas“.
Native to Central and West Africa, this monkey flower “Was the dreaded smallpox eradicated in 1980, which killed more than 300 million people in the 20th?e century”, recalls Antoine Flao. More harmless, it has a significant effectchildren in rural areas infested with small rodentswhere does it come from? However, last spring, this virus spread to Europe, then the Americas and Asia, targeting “men who have sex with other men“.
Since the beginning of this epidemic in May 2022, the WHO Emergency Committee has been meeting every three months with the aim of “assess the smallpox situation“. The fourth meeting took place this Thursday, February 9th, and the final report was published on the 7th. The goal is.see what progress has been made in the fight against this disease and whether the recommendations made in October should be maintained, strengthened or adapted;– explains WHO Figaro.
Weak circulation of the virus
From 1eh In January 2022, there were 85,645 confirmed cases of Mpox, of which 92 resulted in death. The United States is the country most affected by the infection, with 29,933 confirmed cases as of February 6, 2023. They are followed by Brazil (10,758 cases), Spain (7,528 cases) and France (4,128 cases). At the peak of the epidemic in the summer of 2022, daily cases fluctuated.800 to 1000 casesMircea Sofonia, professor of epidemiology and epidemiologist at Montpellier University, reports. The scientist even talksepidemic at the moment“, suchactivity was significant in the American, European and African continents“.
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Before each meeting of the WHO Emergency Committee, experts draw up a map listing the number of recorded Mpox cases in different countries around the world. World Health Organization / WHO Health Emergencies Programme
Today, daily events revolve around “20 to 60 new cases– he compares. According to the WHO, the number of new cases decreased by 60.5% between the last week of January (January 23-29) and the first week of February 2023 (January 30-February 5). The international establishment is delightedto see a sustained decline in the number of casesSince the declaration of a State of Public Health Emergency of International Concern (USPPI) last July. “Overall, the growth rate of Mpox remains relatively lowconfirms Mircea Sofonia. According to the epidemiologist, this decline in the epidemic was made possible “the work of associations in the field, vaccinations, reduced risk events, acquired immunity and less intensive screening“.
“We must be vigilant”
A discovery confirmed by Bruno Lina, a virologist at the University Hospital of Lyon and a member of Covars (a new committee for monitoring and predicting health risks). “We are at an extremely low level of virus circulation“. Nevertheless, “The risk has not disappeared, he gives nuances you have to stay alert“. Even if “There are good preventive measures that should be taken in at-risk groups“, “infections can occur“. In a February 9 statement, the WHO said it had received reports of the cases “more than thirty countries […] in the last monthmainly from America. The international body also admits that it “due to limited data, it is difficult to track the true trajectory of the epidemic in Africa“.
Mircea Sofonia threatens the return of festive events in the spring.Last year, some festivals in Spain were identified as places of extreme pollution“. “It is not yet known whether the epidemic is caused by these types of events or whether it is seasonal.he asks.
That’s why”a sudden resurgence of the epidemic must be avoided“. “We must support surveillance, prevention and care efforts, as well as vaccination of at-risk populations“The WHO warns. Three vaccinesuseful against monkey poxexist, according to the WHO, which states that “mass vaccinations are not recommended at this time“. “Two of them have been confirmed” and are offered in many countries “only in people at risk“. However, stocks of these rations “the borders“. Bruno Lina assures that France has reserves and that “A first and second dosing schedule is recommended“. The surgeon concludes that “if we maintain these protections, there is no reason for the epidemic to re-emerge“.
Source: Le Figaro
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