Monkeypox: WHO predicts more cases and Joe Biden admits “concern”

Amid the proliferation of cases of people who have had monkeypox in various countries around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) expects that infections will continue to emerge. So far, 92 cases have been confirmed and there are 28 suspects in 12 countries.

“The situation is evolving in the way the WHO believes that monkeypox cases will increase identified as surveillance has been extended to non -endemic countries, ”the organization said in an epidemiological note on a disease whose origin and route of contagion have not yet been established.

In the observed cases, it is not possible to determine that any of them are in endemic areas for this disease, which has been identified mainly (though not exclusively) in men who have had sex with other men.

“The identification of confirmed or suspected cases with no travel links to endemic areas This is a very unusual event. “identified the organization.

Current information suggests that those with a higher risk of infection are those who have had close physical contact with an infected person and have symptoms.

For this reason, the WHO indicated that it is making directives to protect front-line health workers and other health workers who may be more exposed than others, such as those dealing with cleaning activities.

The genomic sequence obtained from a swab from a case in Portugal revealed similarities to the smallpox virus exported from Nigeria and caused outbreaks in the UK, Israel and Singapore between 2018 and 2019.

“Concern” by Joe Biden

U.S. President Joe Biden said Sunday that recent cases of monkeypox identified in Europe and the United States were “something to worry about.”

“This is a concern in the sense that if it spreads, it will have consequences, ” Biden added in his first public statement about the disease.

The president responded to a question about the illness while speaking to reporters at Osan Air Base in South Korea, where he visited troops before flying to Japan on his first tour of Asia as president.

“I haven’t been told the level of exposure yet, but This is something that everyone should be concerned about.“said Biden. The president added that work is underway to determine which vaccines may be effective.

What is monkeypox

Monkeypox is a zoonosis (virus transmitted to humans by animals) and its symptoms are similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although less severe.

Their transmission takes place through contact there are wounds, body fluids, drops and contaminated material, such as bedding, and its incubation period is usually from six to thirteen days, although it can take up to 21 days.

Immunity to this disease is very low in young populations, as the population under 40 or 50 years of age has not received the smallpox vaccine and the virus is not present in non -endemic countries.

The endemic countries are: Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana (here only identified in animals), Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Brazaville), Sierra Leone and Sudan from the south.

The latest cases, in Israel and Switzerland

Israeli and Swiss health authorities on Saturday confirmed the first cases within their territories of the endemic disease affecting Central and West Africa.

In Israel, the first suspected case was reported on Friday, but it was only confirmed at Saturday’s meeting of the Center for Disease Control committee. As specified, it was a 30 -year -old man hospitalized in Tel Aviv in a mild condition.

In the case of Switzerland, the infected person, a resident of the city of Bern, also came in contact with the virus abroad, according to that country’s health directorate.

Several Western countries, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Sweden or Spain, have registered cases of this disease.

Symptoms of monkeypox

Ang symptoms of the disease These include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swelling of lymph nodes, chills, and fatigue. Skin rashes can also appear on the face and other parts of the body.

The death rate from monkeypox outbreaks typically ranges from 1% to 10%, according to the WHO, with most deaths occurring in younger age groups.

Monkeypox, or “simian orthopoxvirus” is a rare disease that is the pathogen can be transferred from animal to human and vice versa.

There are no specific treatments or vaccines against monkeypox, but outbreaks can be controlled, the World Health Organization (WHO) explains. In general, the disease heals spontaneously and symptoms last between 14 and 21 days.

With information from EFE and AP.