Monkeypox keeps world health organizations on alert. As of May 26, there is a cumulative total of 257 laboratory confirmed cases of monkeypox and about 120 suspected cases. On the other hand, no deaths were reported. But “the situation is evolving rapidly and WHO predicts that identified cases will increase as surveillance expands to non-endemic countries, as well as to countries known to be endemic that have not reported cases recently.” Thus in a note the World Health Organization emphasizing that since May 13, monkeypox has been reported to the WHO by 23 member states that are not endemic to the virus.
Monkeypox, WHO investigations
The epidemiological investigations, the WHO still says, are in progress. “The vast majority of cases reported so far – reads the update note – have not established travel links with an endemic area and have presented themselves through primary care or sexual health services”. WHO then points out that the identification of confirmed and suspected cases of monkeypox without direct links to an endemic area “is atypical” and a case of monkeypox in a non-endemic country “is considered an outbreak”. Furthermore, WHO notes that the sudden simultaneous appearance of monkeypox in several non-endemic countries “suggests that there may have been undetected transmission for some time as well as recent events that have amplified the spread.” Finally, the World Health Organization recalls that there are three immediate actions to be taken: providing accurate information to those who may be most at risk; stop further spread among risk groups; protect frontline health workers.
Bassetti: “The spread of the infection is now global”
“The monkeypox numbers are becoming important. If we put together the confirmed cases with the suspects, there are 400 in a few weeks in 25 countries around the world. The spread of the infection is now global. In practice, all the developed countries from the health point of view have reported cases and those who have not yet done so will soon. The infections begin to be significant and the phenomenon is destined to grow further, because the incubation time of this infection reaches 3 weeks and then there will be contact infections. Overall, we are doing well, the alert level has risen and citizens are also being seen by doctors in case of strange skin rashes ». So at beraking latest news Salute Matteo Bassetti, director of Infectious Diseases of the San Martino Polyclinic in Genoa. “Trust isolation is important with regard to contacts, we are not talking about obligatory quarantine as with Covid, but of not having close relationships with other people – specifies the expert – Then a step could be that of vaccinating the contacts and think about vaccination, given that there are doses, of some categories, that could be done in the coming weeks. Overall – observes Bassetti – the management of the phenomenon, also for what we have learned with Covid, took place in a careful manner “.
Crisanti: “Critical moment”
«Quarantine» for the close contacts of people who have fallen ill with monkeypox «and ring vaccination», that is the strategy that starts from covering those who are most likely to be infected with a virus. This is the strategy that Andrea Crisanti, director of the Department of Molecular Medicine at the University of Padua, would adopt to contain the Monkeypox virus. The World Health Organization has not recommended these two actions at the moment, and has specified that the contacts of the cases must be monitored for 21 days (maximum incubation period of the virus), while being able to continue their daily routine activities. “But, in the light of everything we have suffered with Sars-CoV-2, in my opinion a small excess of prudence is not bad”, emphasizes Crisanti at beraking latest news Salute. «I’d do the quarantine of the contacts», he explains: «It would be about ten, 14 days. And then vaccination: I would certainly vaccinate all the contacts of the cases “, says the virologist who, on the other hand,” would not “consider it” necessary in this phase to vaccinate health and laboratory personnel “.