The disease is rarely diagnosed outside the African continent; Europe recently recorded 100 cases
The WHO (World Health Organization) held an emergency meeting on Friday (May 20, 2022) to discuss the monkeypox outbreak in Europe. Viral infection is most common in West and Central Africa. Recently, more than 100 cases have been diagnosed or are under investigation in Europe.
At least 9 European countries have already reported infections with the virus: Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Sweden. In addition to them, the United States, Canada, Australia and Israel also have contaminated patients.
The 1st European case was confirmed on 7 May, in a person returning to England from Nigeria. On Friday alone (May 20), Spain recorded 24 new cases, most of them in the capital Madrid region. The infections were linked to a sauna, which was closed by health surveillance.
The disease-causing virus is transmitted by direct contact with infected animals or humans and is rarely identified outside the African continent.
Despite the concerns, infectologists do not estimate that the outbreak will evolve into a pandemic, as it does not spread as easily as infections with the new coronavirus, for example.
There is no specific vaccine for monkeypox, but vaccines used against other types of smallpox have been shown to be up to 85% effective, according to the WHO.
The symptoms of the disease consist of: fever, headaches and backaches, chills, tiredness and skin rashes, which start on the face and spread to the rest of the body. It is considered a mild viral illness.
BRAZILIAN INFECTED IN GERMANY
Germany recorded the 1st case of monkeypox on Friday (May 20). The infected person is a 26-year-old Brazilian, according to the Institute of Microbiology of the German Armed Forces.
According to the Bavarian Ministry of Health, the patient is in isolation at a clinic in Munich.
Before going to Germany, the Brazilian passed through Portugal and Spain. with a test “Special” After PCR, a genetic sequencing of the virus was performed, which must be from the West African or Central African subvariant.
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