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The World Health Organization on Friday called for “urgent” action to prevent the spread of monkeypox in Europe, noting that cases in the region have tripled in the past two weeks.
Hans Henri Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said: “Today, I call on governments and civil society to step up their efforts … to prevent the spread of monkeypox across an expanding geographic area. “
“Urgent and concerted action is required if we are to turn things around in this race to reverse the continued spread of this disease.”
Since early May, a surge in monkeypox cases has been detected outside West and Central African countries where the viral disease is endemic.
Ninety percent of all laboratory-confirmed cases registered globally, or 4,500 infections, occurred in Europe, Kruger said.
So far, 31 countries and territories have reported cases of infection.
Europe remains the epicenter of the outbreak, and the risk remains high, Kruger said.
He said the WHO did not consider the outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern at this time, but would review its position soon.
According to the World Health Organization, to date, most monkeypox infections have occurred in men who have sex with men, young men, and mostly in urban areas.
It is investigating possible cases of sexual transmission but insists the disease is mainly spread through close contact.
Monkeypox is linked to smallpox, which killed millions of people around the world every year until it was eradicated in 1980, but with much milder symptoms.
The disease starts with a fever and quickly develops into a rash with crusts forming. It is usually mild and usually goes away spontaneously after two to three weeks.
According to the European Centre for Epidemic Preparedness, the UK has so far reported the highest number of cases – 1,076, according to UK authorities – ahead of Germany (838), Spain (736), Portugal (365) and France (365). 350 cases). Disease prevention and control.
London’s chief public health doctor Kevin Fenton on Thursday urged anyone with symptoms not to attend the weekend’s Pride parade in the British capital.
On Friday, Danish lab Bavarian Nordic, the only one producing a licensed monkeypox vaccine, announced the shipment of 2.5 million doses of the new vaccine to the United States.
U.S. health authorities said Tuesday that as part of a major upgrade of the country’s immunization strategy, they will immediately distribute 56,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine to areas of high transmission — five times the number distributed so far.
The European Medicines Agency announced on Tuesday that it had begun reviewing a smallpox vaccine to expand its use against monkeypox.
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