Monkeypox virus outbreak: Confirmed cases cross 1,000 as 'concerned' WHO warns of 'real' risk - Key points
Zee News
Monkeypox cases have been reported mainly, but "not only", among men who have sex with men. Some countries are now beginning to report cases of apparent community transmission, including some cases in women, WHO said.
New Delhi: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday (June 8, 2022) warned that the risk of monkeypox becoming established in non-endemic countries is "real" and informed that the number of cases has crossed 1,000. At a media briefing in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that there have been more than 1,000 monkeypox cases reported to the global health body in the current outbreak outside the countries in Africa.
Tedros, however, said that the scenario can be "prevented" and urged affected countries to make every effort to identify all cases and contacts to control this outbreak and prevent onward spread.
Over 1,000 #monkeypox cases have been reported from 29 countries where the disease is not endemic, with no deaths reported so far in these countries. @WHO urges affected countries to identify all cases and contacts to control the outbreak and prevent onward spread. pic.twitter.com/5V9kJaM2FA
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) June 8, 2022
Monkeypox is a rare viral infection similar to human smallpox. It was first discovered in 1958 in monkeys kept for research and the first human case of monkeypox was reported in 1970. The disease occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa.
