The World Health Organization (WHO) says the outbreak of smallpox in Africa will not lead to a pandemic, an official said, adding that it is still unclear whether asymptomatic infected people can transmit the disease.
Key points:
- Declaring a pandemic, as was done for COVID-19 and Ebola, would help speed up research and funding to contain the disease.
- The strain of the virus involved in the outbreak is thought to kill a small fraction of those infected, but no deaths have been reported.
- WHO expert says spreading disease does not mean people have to shy away from LGBTQ + community
More than 300 suspected and confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported in May, a generally mild disease that spreads through close contact and can cause flu-like symptoms and pus-filled skin lesions, most in Europe.
The WHO is considering whether the outbreak should be assessed as a “potential public health emergency of international concern” or as a PHEIC.
This statement, as was the case for COVID-19 and Ebola, would help speed up research and funding to contain the disease.
When asked if this outbreak of monkeypox had the potential to turn into a pandemic, Rosamund Lewis, the WHO’s chief technician for smallpox, said: “No We know it, but we don’t believe it. “
“It simply came to our notice then [about] a global pandemic, “he said.
Once the smallpox has been contracted, the duration of the rash and the fall of the crusts is recognized as the infectious period, but there is limited information on whether there is any spread of the virus by of asymptomatic people, he added.
“Actually, we still don’t know if there is asymptomatic transmission of monkeypox, indications in the past have been that this is not an important feature, but that is yet to be determined,” he said.
It is understood that the strain of the virus involved in the outbreak kills a small fraction of those infected, but so far no deaths have been reported during the wider outbreak.
Most cases have occurred in Europe rather than in Central and West African countries where the virus is endemic, and these cases are not primarily related to travel.
There is no reason to avoid pride parades
On Monday, another World Health Organization expert said that spreading monkeypox does not mean people should shy away from LGBTQ + pride parades.
In more recent cases, the generally mild disease has disproportionately affected men who have sex with men.
Health officials have stressed that the disease can be transmitted to anyone who has close contact, such as skin-to-skin contact, with an infected person.
“It’s important that people who want to go out and celebrate gay pride, LGBTQ + pride, keep going and plan to do it,” said Andy Seale, strategy advisor in the Department of Sexually Transmitted Infections Programs. WHO, in an information session on WHO social media. .
Events linked to many of the current cases took place indoors, such as nightclubs, he added.
The next Pride Marches are scheduled in New York on June 26 and in Berlin on July 23, among other places.
Reuters
Posted 47 minutes ago 47 minutes ago Monday, May 30, 2022 at 6:48 PM, updated 47 minutes ago, 47 minutes ago, May 30, 2022 at 6:48 PM