The number of monkeypox infection cases has risen to nearly 200 in more than 20 countries globally, said the World Health Organization (WHO). The epidemic has been described as containable by WHO and it also proposed creating a stockpile to equitably share the limited vaccines and drugs available worldwide. However, WHO has also urged countries to increase surveillance.
Maria Van Kerkhove, the technical lead of Covid-19 response at WHO’s Emergency Diseases Unit said that they have found about 200 confirmed cases and more than 100 suspected cases till now. However, she also added that these case numbers will likely rise in the coming days. It has been spread across more than 20 countries and in four WHO regions.
According to WHO, the monkeypox virus has been circulating for decades and very little attention has been paid to this. Maria Van Kerkhove said, “Sadly and there are 1000 if not thousands of cases that are occurring there.” And added that they have asked countries to increase surveillance.
Earlier this week, a top adviser to WHO said the outbreak in Europe, U.S., Israel, Australia and beyond was likely linked to sex at two recent raves in Spain and Belgium.
Earlier, the authorities in Argentina on Friday reported a monkeypox case in a man from Buenos Aires. This is the first infection in Latin America. Officials said the man had traveled recently to Spain and now had symptoms consistent with monkeypox, including lesions and a fever.
The doctors in various countries like Britain, Spain, Portugal, Canada, and U.S. have noted that most of the infection cases have been detected in gay and bisexual men, or men who have sex with men. The disease is no more likely to affect people because of their sexual orientation and scientists warn the virus could infect others if transmission isn’t curbed.
According to WHO, most monkeypox patients experience only fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious illness may develop a rash and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body. Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks.
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Ms Kalinga