GENEVA.- The World Health Organization (WHO) has more than confirmed 80 cases of monkeypox, has announced the start of a working protocol with affected countries, more than a dozen the UN agency estimates, to improve “their understanding of the extent and causes of the disease”.
Half a hundred must be confirmed
The agency is also aware of fifty other cases pending confirmation of a virus it describes as “endemic in the animal populations of several countries.” However, he acknowledges that the outbreaks detected in 11 countries – 12 counting Switzerland, which this Saturday confirmed its first case since the release of this statement – represent an “atypical” circumstance for occurring in “non-endemic” locations.
SPREAD THROUGH CLOSE CONTACT
“Monkeypox spreads differently than coronaviruses, sow with close contact,” explains the organization.
“People who have had a close interaction with a person affected are at a higher risk of infection. This population includes healthcare workers, family members, or sexual partners.
ORIGIN AND SYMPTOMS
Monkeypox is found in central and western Africa, often near tropical forests, and is thought to be endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it was first detected in humans in the 1970s.
Symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and fatigue. Rashes can also appear on the face and other parts of the body.
The mortality rate from monkeypox outbreaks is typically between 1% and 10%, according to the WHO, with most deaths occurring in younger age groups.
REJECTS THE STIGMATIZATION OF CERTAIN GROUPS
In the face of information pointing to a particular infection pattern among the gay population, the agency finds it “unacceptable” that groups of people are “stigmatized” and describes this behavior as “a barrier to stopping the outbreak of any disease.”
“The risk of contracting monkeypox is not limited to sexually active people or men who have sex with men. Anyone who has close physical contact with an infected person is at risk.”
Discrimination ‘can prevent affected people from seeking help and lead to undetected spread’complete the organization.
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