WHO reports 14,000 monkey pox cases globally, 5 deaths

National

This year, around 14,000 cases of monkey pox have been documented in over 70 countries, with 5 deaths recorded in Africa, according to World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday.

WHO director-general emphasized that the agency will continue to do all possible to assist nations in stopping transmission and saving lives.

“This year, about 14,000 confirmed cases of #monkeypox have been reported to WHO from more than 70 countries and territories. So far, five people have died, all in Africa. @WHO will continue to do all possible to assist nations in stopping transmission and saving lives “Tedros stated in a tweet.

Tedros also stated that, while some nations are seeing a decrease in incidence, many are seeing an increase, with approximately six countries reporting their first cases of monkeypox last week.

“The majority of cases are still being reported from Europe, particularly among guys who have intercourse with men,” he added.

WHO leader stated that the outbreak is more difficult to detect and contain since many of the nations reporting cases have limited access to tests and vaccines.

Ghebreyesus also stated that the organisation is verifying, acquiring, and shipping tests to a variety of nations, and that it would continue to encourage increased access to effective diagnostics.

He stated that one of the most potent instruments against the outbreak is knowledge, and that greater information will assist those at risk to better protect themselves.

“WHO is continuing to collaborate with patients and community activists to create and convey information that is more likely to be accepted and adopted in the impacted communities,” Tedros added.

Monkeypox virus spreads from infected animals to people through indirect or direct contact. Direct contact with infected skin or lesions, including face-to-face, skin-to-skin, and respiratory droplets, can result in human-to-human transmission.

Transmission appears to be predominantly through close physical contact, including sexual contact, in the current outbreak nations and among reported monkeypox cases. Infectious skin particles can be transmitted through contaminated things such as linens, mattresses, gadgets, and clothes.

Initial monkeypox cases found in various countries in different WHO Regions showed no epidemiological linkages to places that had previously reported monkeypox, indicating that undetected transmission may have been occurring in those nations for some time.

The majority of verified monkeypox cases are male, and the bulk of these instances occur among homosexual, bisexual, and other males who have sex with men in metropolitan settings and are part of clustered social and sexual networks.