The first deaths, outside Africa, of people infected with monkeypox were announced on Friday, a few hours apart, by Spain and Brazil. They bring the number of deaths recorded globally since May to eight, with the first five reported in Africa, where the disease is endemic and was first detected in humans in 1970.
“It is important to point out that he had serious comorbidities, so as not to cause panic in the population. Mortality (linked to this disease) remains very low,” said Minas Gerais Health Secretary Fábio Baccheretti, who explained that the patient was undergoing cancer treatment.
In Spain, one of the countries with the most cases in the world, 4,298 people have been infected according to the latest data from the Center for Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies.
Belgium in the “top 5”
On the Belgian side, there are 97 cases per million: “This means that we are in the top five of the countries with the most infections per million”, informs Marc Van Ranst, questioned by the Newspaper. The number of infections is however much higher in the United States than at home, but does not appear in this ranking with 30 infections per million: “It is simply because more people live there”. Several American states have also declared a state of emergency, this is among others the case of New York.
The Belgian virologist calls for caution: “Fortunately, most patients heal on their own and we do not see a mortality rate as with covid. It’s reassuring. But it is still very important to avoid risks”.
The WHO has recommended that men limit their number of partners with other men: “If the number of infections continues to increase, it will also increase in other groups. We already see it in children, among others, ”informs Marc Van Ranst.
A second death in Spain
A second person with monkeypox has died in Spain, the Ministry of Health said on Saturday, the day after the announcement of the first death in the country of a person infected with this virus.
“Among the 3,750 patients (…), 120 cases were hospitalized and two died,” said the Ministry’s Center for Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies in its latest report published on Saturday, without specifying the date of this second death.
Contacted by AFP, the ministry did not provide further details, specifying that these were two patients with “monkey pox” and referring to “analyzes that may take place later to be able to determine the cause of death “.
70% of cases in Europe
On July 24, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued the highest level of alert, the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (USPPI), to strengthen the fight against monkey pox, also called orthopoxvirus. simian.
According to the WHO, more than 18,000 cases have been detected worldwide since the beginning of May outside endemic areas in Africa.
The disease has been reported in 78 countries and 70% of cases are concentrated in Europe and 25% in the Americas, the organization’s director, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Wednesday.
About 10% of cases require hospital admission to try to alleviate the pain patients are experiencing.
In most cases, the patients are men who have sex with men, relatively young, and living mainly in towns.
The first symptoms are high fever, swollen lymph nodes and a rash similar to chickenpox.
“Reduce the risks”
On Wednesday, the WHO clearly advised the group most affected by the disease – men who have sex with men – to reduce the number of sexual partners.
The best way to protect yourself “is to reduce the risk of being exposed” to the disease, explained the director general of the WHO, during a press briefing in Geneva.
Monkeypox is not currently considered a sexually transmitted disease and anyone can contract it. Direct skin-to-skin contact but also infected sheets or clothing are vectors of transmission of the disease.
The WHO also strongly emphasizes the need to avoid any stigmatization of a specific community, which could lead its members to hide the disease, not seek treatment and continue to spread it.
For now, the WHO stresses that there are not vaccines for everyone and therefore recommends prioritizing those who are most at risk, those who are sick and those who treat or make them. of research.
“It is important to emphasize that vaccination does not protect instantly against infection or disease and this can take several weeks,” warned Dr. Tedros. Once vaccinated, it is therefore necessary to continue to take precautions.
Vaccination is carried out with two doses, spaced at least 28 days apart. For people vaccinated against smallpox in childhood, one dose is enough. For the immunocompromised a third dose is recommended.