118 positive cases of monkeypox, a zoonotic disease, have been confirmed in European countries, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has announced.
According to the latest ECDC assessment, smallpox (MPX) is the most common infection of its kind in humans, after smallpox, and the total number of confirmed cases worldwide on May 25 is 219, with most cases detected in men. young people engaged in sexual intercourse with other men.
"In endemic areas, the monkeypox virus (MPXV) is likely to be kept in the wild by circulating among a number of mammals, with occasional events spreading to humans. In endemic areas, MPXV is transmitted to humans through a bite or direct contact with the blood, flesh, body fluids or skin / mucosal lesions of an infected animal. " clarifies ECDC.
The number of positive cases in different countries varied, with the highest number of patients being recorded in Spain (51) and Portugal (37). Other countries, such as France, Germany and Italy, reported five cases, while six were found in the Netherlands.
Belgium, the first country to introduce a quarantine requirement for those infected with the virus, has four cases, while the remaining countries such as Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovenia and Sweden have one case.
101 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in non-European countries, with the majority reported in the United Kingdom (71), followed by Canada 15) and the United States (nine).
Argentina, Israel and the United Arab Emirates have confirmed one case each, while Switzerland and Australia have confirmed two, while Morocco has three.
"Most of the current cases showed mild symptoms of the disease, and for the wider population, the probability of spreading is very low. However, the likelihood of the virus spreading through close contact, for example during sexual intercourse between people with multiple sexual partners, is considered high. " ECDC Director Andrea Ammon.
In conclusion, we should not panic over the spread of monkeypox. No cases have been reported in Romania so far.