The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for “urgent” action to prevent the spread of smallpox in Europe, noting that cases there have tripled in the past two weeks. To date, more than 5,000 cases of smallpox have been reported from 51 countries worldwide, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infections in Europe account for about 90 percent of all cases worldwide and 31 countries in the European region have now detected cases, WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Henry Kluge said on Friday. “Today, I urge governments and civil society to step up their efforts to prevent monkey pox from being abandoned in a developing geographical area,” Kluge said in a statement. “Urgent and coordinated action is imperative if we are to turn a corner in the fight to reverse the continuing spread of this disease,” Kluge said. Kluge also said in a statement that no deaths have been reported from the current outbreak so far. (Al Jazeera) “The vast majority of cases occurred with a rash and about three-quarters reported systemic symptoms such as fever, fatigue, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, sore throat or headache,” Kluge said. Until May, monkey pox was never known to cause major outbreaks beyond Africa, where the disease is endemic in several countries and causes mainly limited outbreaks when it spreads to infected wildlife.
“There is no room for complacency”
Kluge said Europe remains at the heart of the expanding epidemic and the risk remains high. “There is simply no room for complacency, especially here in the European Region with the rapidly evolving epidemic expanding its reach to unaffected areas every hour, day and week,” he said. The WHO does not believe the outbreak is currently an emergency for public health of international interest, but will reconsider its position soon, he added. The UN agency estimates that the disease can be fatal, but smallpox vaccines are protective and some antiviral drugs are also being developed. To date, there have been approximately 1,800 suspected cases of smallpox in monkeys, including more than 70 deaths in Africa. Vaccines have never been used to stop smallpox cases in Africa. The WHO office in Africa said this week that countries with vaccine supplies “keep them mainly for their own populations”. Most smallpox infections have so far been reported in young men who have sex with men, mainly in urban areas, according to the WHO. It investigates cases of possible sexual transmission, but argues that the disease is transmitted mainly through close contact. Kluge said the problem of stigma in some countries may make some people skeptical about seeking health care, and said the WHO is working with partners, including gay Pride organizers.
