the number of cases is falling in Europe
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After four consecutive weeks of increases, the World Health Organization (WHO) observed a reduction in the number of reported cases of monkeypox worldwide. It decreased by 21% during the week of August 15 to 21, compared to the previous week, announced the United Nations specialized agency for public health, Thursday August 25.
The WHO notes the beginning of a slowdown in the epidemic in Europe. “There are signs that the epidemic is slowing in Europe, where a combination of effective public health measures, behavioral changes and vaccination are helping to prevent transmission”explained WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
However, the WHO is far from happy about the situation, because the American continent is experiencing a “intense transmission” of the epidemic. “At the start of the epidemic, most of the reported cases were in Europe, and a smaller part in America. This situation has now reversed, with less than 40% of cases reported in Europe and 60% in America.said Mr. Tedros, at a press conference. “In Latin America in particular, insufficient awareness or insufficient public health measures, combined with lack of access to vaccines, are fueling the epidemic”he noted.
First case in Iran and Indonesia
According to their weekly report, in the past seven days, two countries have also reported their first case: Iran and Indonesia. Previously confined to Central and West Africa, monkeypox has spread since May to other parts of the world, including Europe and the United States. A total of 44,464 cases had been recorded worldwide, including thirteen deaths, as of August 24, according to the latest WHO online report.
On July 24, the WHO triggered its highest level of alert, the“public health emergency of international concern”to strengthen the fight against the disease.
The Danish laboratory Bavarian Nordic, which produces the only licensed vaccine against monkeypox, announced on Wednesday an agreement with the WHO to facilitate its distribution in Latin American and Caribbean countries. “We thank Bavarian Nordic for this agreement and we hope it will help bring the epidemic under control in the region”said the director general of the WHO on Thursday.
“WHO continues to encourage all countries to set up vaccine efficacy studies to ensure data collection while improving access” to doses, he added. Marketed by Bavarian Nordic under the name Jynneos in North America and Imvanex in Europe, it is a vaccine against human smallpox, a deadly disease eradicated in 1980, which is currently used against monkeypox.
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