The WHO said Wednesday it was investigating reports of infected children, including two in the United Kingdom, and monitoring reports in Spain and France. None of the cases in children were serious. The virus has now been detected in more than 50 new countries outside of Africa where it is endemic. Cases are also rising in these countries, the WHO said, calling for intensification of testing. “I am concerned about the ongoing transmission because it would indicate that the virus is being introduced and can be transmitted to high-risk groups, including children, immunocompromised and pregnant women,” said WHO Center Director Antanom Gebregesous. Prolonged transmission is characterized by the World Health Organization as a disease that can be easily transmitted from one person to another in the population. Monkey pox is usually mild and is endemic to parts of western and central Africa. It is transmitted by close contact, so it is relatively easy to limit through measures such as self-isolation and hygiene. A particle of the monkey pox virus appears in this color transmission electron micrograph. The World Health Organization warns that the virus could pose a risk to vulnerable people if it continues to spread. (UK Health Insurance Agency / Scientific Photography Library) There have been more than 3,400 cases of smallpox in monkeys and one death since the outbreak began in May, mostly in Europe among men who have sex with men, according to the WHO count. There have also been more than 1,500 cases and 66 deaths in countries where the disease is most prevalent. At least 275 cases of smallpox in monkeys have been confirmed in Canada. These include 202 cases in Quebec, 67 cases in Ontario, four in Alberta and two in British Columbia. The Public Health Service of Canada (PHAC) declined to comment on the WHO warning on Wednesday. Health officials are likely to face questions about Canada’s smallpox response at a press conference scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Thursday.
It is not a global health emergency “at this stage”
The WHO warning comes just days after it said the global virus epidemic should be closely monitored, but did not justify declaring a global health emergency. In a statement on Saturday, a WHO emergency committee said many aspects of the epidemic were “unusual” and acknowledged that monkey pox – which is endemic in some African countries – had been neglected for years. “While some members expressed differing views, the committee decided by consensus to advise the WHO Director-General that at this stage the outbreak should be decided not to be a ‘global health emergency,’ the WHO said in a statement. However, the WHO noted the “extraordinary nature” of the epidemic and said that controlling its spread required a “strong” response. The commission said the outbreak should be “closely monitored and re-examined after a few weeks”. However, he said it would be a reassessment before then if certain new developments arise, such as cases between sex workers, spread to other countries or within countries that already had cases, increased case severity or increasing rate of spread. The UN agency said it was also working on a mechanism to distribute vaccines more equitably, as countries such as Britain and the United States have suggested they are willing to share their stockpile vaccines, which also protect against monkeypox.
