Monkey pox: more than 5,000 confirmed cases, announces WHO

Skin lesions associated with monkeypox.

The World Health Organization (WHO) now lists 5,322 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox worldwide, an increase of more than 50% compared to the previous assessment of June 22, for a single death, announced a spokeswoman for the organization on Tuesday.

WHO continues to ask countries to pay close attention to cases of monkeypox, to try to limit infections, said Fadela Chaib at a press conference in Geneva.

A second meeting of the WHO emergency committee on the subject , after its first meeting on June 23, is not currently scheduled.

The health agency had ruled last week that the current outbreak of monkeypox cases, while very worrying, did not constitute a public health emergency of international concern, the highest level of alert from the agency. #x27;organization.

The number of cases has increased sharply in recent days: this latest report, dated June 30, represents an increase of 55.9% compared to the previous count , which counted 3413 cases eight days earlier.

Europe remains by far the region hardest hit by the virus, with 85% of cases, while 53 countries are now affected.

Unusual upsurge in smallpox cases simian has been detected since May outside of West and Central African countries, where the virus usually circulates.

While the majority of cases identified are men who have sex with men, other vulnerable groups are also at risk, the spokesperson said.

There have been a few cases in children [and] in people with compromised immune systems.

Known in humans since 1970, monkeypox is considered much less dangerous and less contagious than its cousin, smallpox, which was eradicated in 1980.

Monkey pox, which manifests as flu-like symptoms and rashes, is usually cured in a short period of time. itself after two or three weeks.