The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that monkey cases were on the rise around the world, suggesting that the rare viral disease had spread outside Africa to non -endemic countries for some time.
But despite this indication, health officials are convinced that the disease, which has plagued African countries for decades, is unlikely to become a pandemic and widespread vaccination is unnecessary.
“Right now it’s an explosion and it’s possible to stop epidemics, so this is our effort now,” Drs. Rosamund Lewis, WHO Technical Director for Chickenpox, at a press conference highlighting the agency’s efforts to prevent and spread the virus around the world. Endemic countries, he recalls, “live every day with this disease”.
The WHO counted at least 550 cases in 30 non-endemic countries this week. It has Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. There were 18 cases Tuesday in nine states, however, health officials suggest there could be many more. Wednesday in New York Two new ones were reported Potential cases are investigated through engagement.
“We expect more because people who have been infected in recent weeks can continue to transmit at a period of time that they don’t know what they have, when they don’t have a chance to be diagnosed.” Then he just found out.
The risk of catching a monkey is low, and most infected people will recover within a few weeks, the WHO said.
The disease begins first with fever, headache, muscle aches and fatigue, followed by a rash that usually starts on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body. These injuries went through five stages before collapsing.
The virus is spread through direct contact with infectious ulcers, scars, or body fluids. Outside Africa, most cases have been reported in men who have had sex with other men, the WHO said. Recommended for anyone infected Use a condom with the virus after eight weeks and avoid sexual intercourse when there are symptoms.
These are preventative measures that may change because it is not yet known whether monkeys can be passed through sperm or vaginal fluid.
UK health councils come from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, reporting more cases than any other region outside Africa, in the case of the UK. This was confirmed by the Health Agency As of Tuesday, 190 cases. Last week, Portugal recorded the second highest number with 49 confirmed cases, followed by Canada and then Spain. According to the WHO.
Professor David Hayman, who recently headed the World Health Organization’s Expert Group on Infectious Threats to Global Health told the Guardian that the virus could quietly spread to the UK for two to three years before spreading.
The first case of the monkey flower was first reported to humans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970, and has since been reported mainly in the rural rainforests of Congo, where animals can transmit it to humans.
The first outbreak outside Africa was in the United States in 2003 and was associated with infected pet dogs. They were believed to be prairie dogs Infected by imported African rodents where they contacted an animal distributor in Illinois.
“The causes of these spikes are not fully understood, but they may be caused by deforestation and human invasion of monkey host habitats.”
– ოფლი World Health Organization
“Only a handful of cases have been reported occasionally in the past few decades,” the WHO said in a statement on Tuesday. “Then in 2017 there was a sudden increase, more than 2,800 suspected cases were reported in five countries.
Most were registered in 2020, when more than 6,300 suspected cases were reported. According to the agency, Africa saw almost half of that amount last year.
“The causes of these spikes are not fully understood, but they may be caused by deforestation and human invasion of monkey habitats,” the WHO said in a statement.
There, health officials expressed frustration at the new rush to offer vaccines and antivirals to non-endemic countries as endemic countries struggle.
“It’s pretty uncomfortable that we have different attitudes to the types of resources we use on a case-by-case basis,” Drs. Jimmy Whitworth, professor of international public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He told the Associated Press. “It shows a moral frustration when these interventions are not accessible to the millions of people in Africa who need them.”
Lewis reiterated on Wednesday the WHO’s belief that mass vaccination is not necessary to stop the spread of the virus, although the agency is working to increase production and supply of vaccines.
Health care workers at risk of coming into contact with cases of monkey pollen in select clinical settings such as emergency rooms, sexual health clinics, and dermatology clinics may be exceptions for those who need to be vaccinated, he said. although the delivery of prevention education is critical to the WHO. Scope.
Source: Huffpost

I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.