WHO warns of rising Mpox cases in Africa and Asia

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned this Friday of an “increase in cases” of the Mpox virus “over the past two months in Africa and Asia,” despite it declaring ending the type of infection a public health emergency in May. past.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking at a press conference, said there have been 90,000 smallpox cases and 156 deaths in 114 countries over the past 15 months.

Outside of Africa, “the majority of cases are among men who have sex with men.”

For this reason, WHO this week presented recommendations on seven key areas to control and prevent the spread of the monkeypox virus, commonly known as monkeypox.

Recommendations include “improving community protection through risk communication, working closely with community representatives and organizations and combating stigma and discrimination”, “deepening research into prevention and control” of the Mpox virus, and “providing information to travelers who may be at risk of how to protect yourself and others.”

Finally, “all countries should work to ensure equitable access to safe, effective and quality smallpox vaccines, tests and treatment to reach people at greater risk or in need of care,” the director general explained.

Preben Aavisland of the Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care at the University of Bergen, Norway, told a press conference that in recent months it has become clear that human smallpox outbreaks can be effectively stopped through rapid case detection, contact tracing, communication and vaccination.

“The potential for new outbreaks still exists among people who have multiple sexual partners,” he said, highlighting the importance of the recommendations of the new WHO report on stopping transmission of the disease.