WHO raises global cases of monkeypox to 780, 156 in Spain

Los smallpox cases of monkeys linked to the current outbreak in non-endemic countries currently number 780, 88% of them diagnosed in Europe, indicated today the latest status report on this disease published by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The laboratories have confirmed this pathogen in 27 countries not belonging to the endemic regions of central and western Africa, being The United Kingdom is the country with the most infections (207), followed by Spain (156), Portugal (138), Canada (58) and Germany (57)..

More than a dozen cases have also been recorded in the US, Belgium, France, Italy and the Netherlands, as well as two infections in Argentina and one in Mexico, according to data received by the WHO from national health networks.

In view of the increase in confirmed cases, which have tripled in a week, the Geneva-based organization maintains the global risk of this outbreak at a “moderate” level, as this is the first time that Transmission is recorded in non-endemic countries and also with so many foci and so widespread.

Most cases have been detected in cSexual health consultations and other primary and secondary care points“and involve primarily, but not exclusively, men who have sex with other men,” the follow-up report reiterated.

Sequencing of the virus in many laboratories in affected countries indicate that the outbreak is linked to the West African variants of monkeypox, in principle with lower lethality than those in the central part of the continent.

So far this year, in endemic countries there have been recorded 1,408 suspected cases of monkeypox and 66 deaths, mostly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, although also with more than a dozen infections in Cameroon, Central African Republic and Nigeria.

The cases of the outbreak in non-endemic countries are mostly linked to people who have traveled through European or other countries. Americawith a few infections possibly linked to travel from Nigeria.

No deaths have been recorded in relationship to the outbreak in non-endemic nationsbut there are some hospitalizations in some cases related to complications derived from other infections of the patient.

Many patients have initially shown skin rashes in genital and anal areas, which seems to suggest that main route of transmission in several cases has been sexual contact, although the OMS insists that it can be spread through close physical contact not necessarily linked to sexual acts.

The WHO concludes in today’s report that it is “highly probable” that cases and the countries in which they are diagnosed will increase, although it states that the risk for the general population remains low.

However, this risk “could increase if the virus takes the opportunity to establish itself in non-endemic countries as a widely spread pathogen«, warned the document.

The organization emphasizes that the Health professionals must adopt the main prevention measures for nowsince they are the ones most at risk of becoming infected if they do not take the necessary control measures or do not wear adequate personal protective equipment.

In patients with HIV, there may be a risk of develop severe forms of the disease if they do not continue treatment with antiretrovirals or have a weakened immune system, indicates the WHO, which also warns that pregnant women who contract the disease could cause complications for the fetus.

The WHO emphasizes that as in the covid, the Mass events can be vectors of transmissiontherefore, although it does not advise cancellations of this type of event, it does recommend informing attendees of the possible risks, as well as adopting prevention measures taken during the pandemic such as physical distancing, covering coughs or hand hygiene.

The international organization maintains its refusal to all travel and movement restrictions to contain the outbreakalthough it requests that surveillance measures be maintained for people who develop symptoms and that their possible recent contacts be traced.