Monkeypox has now been diagnosed in six people in the Netherlands. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reports this on Monday. On Friday, the institute confirmed the first monkeypox case in the Netherlands. On Saturday it rose to two.
So far, all people who have been infected with the monkey pox virus have been men who have sex with men. Some of the men have been to the Darklands Festival in Belgium, which was previously identified as a possible source of fire. Darklands is a big fetish festival and took place in Antwerp from 4 to 9 May. It is mainly aimed at the gay community.
RIVM emphasizes that the monkeypox virus does not only spread through sexual contact and that the virus is not only related to the gay community. The institute continues to analyze new possible cases together with Erasmus MC. The number of cases could therefore rise.
No collective measures
Meanwhile, the GGD is asking people who have been in contact with or near someone who tested positive for the monkeypox virus to quarantine for up to three weeks. However, this is a precautionary measure, emphasizes a spokesperson for the RIVM, because much is still unclear about the virus.
Minister of Health Ernst Kuipers also announced this weekend that people who run a high risk through contact with a patient are offered a smallpox vaccine. If the shot is administered within four days, there is the greatest chance that someone will not get sick.
The minister also emphasizes that this concerns the approach to individual cases and that no collective measures are to be expected. The monkeypox virus is not very sick, says the RIVM. The symptoms are similar to smallpox, but the course of the disease is slightly milder.
Watch our most viewed news videos in the playlist below:
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.
#RIVM #time #people #monkey #pox #Netherlands