The world faces serious challenges, including COVID, the war in Ukraine and monkeypox, warned the head of the World Health Organization. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke in Geneva, where World Health Organization experts discussed the outbreak of monkeypox in 15 countries outside Africa. However, the risk to the general public is considered low. “Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic is not the only crisis facing our world… We face a formidable combination of diseases, droughts, famines and wars fueled by climate change, injustice and geopolitical rivalries,” the WHO chief said Sunday at the opening of the World Health Assembly.
Earlier, the WHO said it was investigating a number of other suspected cases of monkeypox, without naming the countries involved, and warned that more cases were likely to be confirmed. In Israel and Switzerland, the first people to be infected turned out to be people who had recently arrived from abroad. Several cases of infection are being investigated in Israel.
The symptoms of monkeypox. Initial symptoms include fever, headache, swelling, back pain, and muscle aches.
The hands of a patient infected with monkeypox. Once the fever subsides, a rash may develop, usually starting on the face and then spreading to other parts of the body, most commonly the palms and soles of the feet. The rash, which can be very itchy or painful, changes and goes through different stages before forming a scab that falls off. The lesions may cause scarring. The infection usually goes away on its own and lasts 14 to 21 days.
Monkeypox is most common in Central and West Africa. Outside of this region, the virus is most commonly transmitted by people and animals who have visited the region. This week, authorities in the United States, Canada, Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Sweden, Austria and Australia reported the number of confirmed cases of the disease on their territory. About 80 confirmed cases of infection have been reported worldwide, but the World Health Organization (WHO) lists another 50 patients with suspected monkeypox, without specifying the countries in which they were identified. The organization warns that the number of cases will continue to rise.
Scientists did not expect these outbreaks, but monkeypox is not easily transmitted from person to person. According to the British Health Service, the disease is usually mild and most people recover within a few weeks. However, British authorities are recommending that people who have been in contact with the infected people isolate themselves for 21 days. “We are identifying new cases every day,” said Dr. Susan Hopkins, the British government’s chief medical adviser, in an interview with the BBC on Sunday. According to her, although there is no vaccine specifically for monkeypox, several countries stockpile a vaccine for ordinary smallpox that is about 85% effective in preventing infection, since the two viruses are similar.
Germany is one of 10 European countries where the disease has been discovered. We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. The number of offers should remain: episodes. End of story. Podcast Advertising. On Friday, the World Health Organization called the recent outbreaks unusual because they are occurring in countries where the disease is not typical. It is still unclear why this unexpected outbreak is happening now. One version is that the virus somehow mutated, although there is little evidence that this is a new variant. Another version is that the virus somehow got into favorable conditions for spreading. Perhaps monkeypox is spreading faster than in the past because vaccines against natural smallpox are not widely used today. According to Hans Kluge, WHO’s regional director for Europe, the transmission of the virus can accelerate during the summer months as people gather together more often. He noted that the virus has already spread beyond Europe – Australia has confirmed that a person who visited the UK contracted the virus. In the US, in the state of Massachusetts, officials announced that a person who had recently visited Canada had tested positive for the virus. In Canada itself, two cases have been confirmed in the province of Quebec.
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