Monkeypox: WHO declares international emergency
After the first case of monkeypox was recorded in Sweden and the WHO’s decision to declare a global health emergency, the World Health Organization itself is now raising the alarm about other possible cases that may occur in Europe.
“The confirmation of Clade 1 mpoxy in Sweden is a clear reflection of the interconnectedness of our world… it is likely that further imported Clade 1 cases will occur in the European Region in the coming days and weeks,” the WHO European Regional Office said in a statement.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) also considers it very likely that further cases of importation into Europe will occur.
“The severity of the disease is expected to be low,” the ECDC specifies. “Overall, the risk for these populations is moderate and low, respectively.”
According to the ECDC, “the overall risk to the general population” is “currently assessed as low, based on a very low probability and a low impact. The probability of infection with Mpox clade I for close contacts of possible or confirmed imported cases is high, but disease severity is expected to be low. However, in this same group, disease severity is considered moderate among those with underlying conditions, particularly immunocompromised individuals. Overall, the risk to these populations is moderate and high, respectively”.
“The likelihood of infection for people with multiple sexual partners who have not been previously infected with Mpxv clade IIb or have not been vaccinated during the 2022 outbreak is considered moderate,” the European Centre also adds. “This assessment is based on the difficulty of controlling the spread of infection during the 2022/23 clade II outbreak in this risk group. Although disease severity in most cases would be low, immunosuppressed people and those with untreated HIV infection may experience moderate clinical severity. Overall, the risk for these populations is moderate.”
Experts are worried about the spread of a new strain of the virus, much more dangerous than the one that also circulated in Europe between 2022 and 2023.
#Monkeypox #declares #global #emergency #raises #alarm #cases #Europe
