A total of 780 cases of “Monkeypox” (laboratory-confirmed monkeypox) have been reported by 27 non-endemic countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Sunday, which estimates that the global risk is “moderate”.
“Moderate” risk for global spread of monkeypox. The qualification was made by the World Health Organization which reports that ” Since May 13 and June 2, 780 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported or identified by WHO in 27 Member States that are not endemic for monkeypox virus”specifies the Agency in a press release.
A figure probably underestimated due to limited epidemiological information. “It is very likely that other countries will identify cases and there will be further spread of the virus”the WHO added.
“While the current risk to human health and to the general public remains low, the public health risk could become high if this virus exploits the opportunity to establish itself in non-endemic countries as a human pathogen. widespread »the UN agency said in an update of its assessment of the disease.
“WHO assesses the global risk as moderate given that this is the first time that many cases and clusters of cases of monkeypox have been reported simultaneously in non-endemic and endemic countries”she added.
According to the WHO, no deaths have been reported in non-endemic countries, unlike the endemic ones: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Gabon, Ivory Coast, as well as Ghana, where the disease has been identified in animals only. In the first seven of these countries, 66 deaths were reported in the first five months of 2022.
(With MAP)