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Monkeypox: Amid uncertainty, global situation ‘cannot be ignored’ says WHO chief |



Committee members could announce their decision on whether the outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern, as early as Friday, but while where Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the spread of the disease in both endemic and endemic countries “cannot be ignored”.

The first mysterious star cluster appeared in the UK just over six weeks ago, when WHO is told of a family group of three cases, without any recent travel taking place.

“Since then, more than 3,200 confirmed cases Monkey smallpoxand one death, were reported to WHO, from 48 countries including Nigeria, and in five WHO regions,” said Tedros.

Outbreaks in the newly affected countries continue mainly among men who have sex with men and who have reported recent sex with new or multiple partners, he added.

Lack of understanding

Person-to-person transmission is ongoing and may be underestimated. In Nigeria, the proportion of women affected is much higher than elsewhere, and important to better understand how diseases spread there”, said the head of WHO.

He said so far this year, almost 1,500 suspected cases monkey pox and about 70 deaths have been reported in Central Africa, mainly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) but also in the Central African Republic and Cameroon.

“Very few of these cases are confirmed, and very little is known about their circumstances. Although the epidemiology and virology of these cases may differ, it is a situation that cannot be ignored.. ”

Share information, save lives

He raised a number of requests by Member States, going forward, primarily to share all information. He said during several other outbreaks, “Sometimes we see the consequences of countries not being transparentdo not share information. “

He called for case finding, contact tracing, laboratory investigations, genome sequencing and implementation of infection prevention and control measures. WHO also needs clear case definitions to help identify and report infections.

And the head of WHO said all countries must ” vigilance and strengthen their capacity to prevent further transmission of monkeypox. It is possible that many countries have missed the opportunity to identify casesincluding those in the community without any recent travel”.

WHO’s goal is to assist countries to contain transmission and contain outbreaks with established public health tools including surveillance, contact tracing and isolation of infected patients.

Risks to healthcare workers

“There is also some risk to healthcare workers if they do not wear the proper personal protective equipment,” said Tedros.

“Therefore, although most cases to date in the newly affected countries have been identified in men who have sex with men, WHO has called for increased surveillance in the wider community. than.”

We’ve learned a lot from the recent outbreaks, including COVID-19 and the global HIV pandemic, he told the scientists who have gathered, but one of the most important, is working closely with those communities “to co-create effective risk communication fruit. That is what WHO is doing”.

Addressing stigma and misinformation

Tedros said it was important to address stigma, discrimination and misinformationin monkeypox, and other outbreaks, rapidly and definitively.

“We also need to work together as an international community to generate the necessary safety and clinical efficacy data on vaccines and treatments against monkeypox, while ensuring distribute them equitably.”



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