Monkeypox spread in Russia remains high, says WHO
Moscow (Russia), July 2: The World Health Organization (WHO) has cautioned that the risk of the spread of Monkeypox in Europe, including Russia, is high.
"According to the WHO assessment, at the regional level, the risk in the WHO European Region is high over reports about the widespread outbreak which engulfed several previously untouched countries and some atypical cases," World Health Organization (WHO) head Melita Vujnovic said.
"The WHO recommends that all the countries should make every effort to register new cases and trace contacts to control this outbreak and prevent its further spread," Vujnovic further added.
Monkeypox is a rare viral disease which is usually transmitted to people from wild animals. Additionally, it is endemic in some African countries. The infection can be transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets and other contaminated materials and the illness usually result in fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes.
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As per the data updated by WHO, an outbreak of monkeypox began in May in non-endemic countries, with over 5,100 cases confirmed in humans in 51 nations from May 13 to July 1.
Notably, monkeypox cases in Europe have tripled in the last two weeks. On Friday, the WHO's Europe chief warned the nations and urged them to do more to ensure the rare disease does not become entrenched on the continent.
"The WHO European Region represents almost 90 per cent of all laboratory-confirmed and globally reported cases since mid-May, and since my last statement on 15 June, six new countries and areas - taking the total to 31 - have reported monkeypox cases, with new cases tripling over the same period to over 4,500 laboratory-confirmed cases across the Region," WHO Europe chief Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, added.
According to him, 99 percent of the cases that have been recorded so far have been men between the ages of 21 and 40, with the majority of those for whom there is information being men who have had sex with men.
The WHO official further emphasised that there is simply no room for complacency, especially right now in the European Region with its swiftly spreading outbreak that is expanding its reach into previously untouched areas with every hour, day, and week.
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-PTC News
