A tenth case of monkey pox has been detected in Belgium, the public health institute Sciensano confirms on Tuesday. Two probable cases have also been identified. These cases are linked to a common event that took place in early May or to a trip abroad, to Portugal and Spain.
The source of infection for one of the cases has not yet been formally determined. Those infected are between 28 and 43 years old.
The first Belgian cases date back to an international fetish festival, Darklands, which took place in Antwerp at the beginning of May. The virus spreads through close contact between people.
Marc Van Ranst’s warning on the eve of summer festivals
As you know, Belgium is a country of festivals. Marc Van Ranst therefore calls for caution, just a few days away from these repeated festivities in all regions of our country.
This Wednesday morning, the virologist told HLN that “like every year, people are often close to each other during festivals. This is what monkeypox needs”. If the “Monkeypox” does not represent for him “an epidemic which could quickly derail”, Marc Van Ranst adds that festival-goers should know the symptoms.
So he explains: “It starts with a feeling of fever, swollen lymph nodes, and then comes this fairly classic rash that looks a lot like chickenpox.”