The global monkey pox outbreak caused two monkey pox- related deaths just two days ago in Spain. These are thought to be the first deaths from the disease in Europe since its recent global outbreak beyond Africa.
The deaths outside Africa come one week after the World Health Organization declared the monkey pox outbreak a global health emergency. “The notification of deaths due to monkey pox does not change our assessment [to stop the virus] of the outbreak in Europe. We know that although the disease is self-limiting in most cases, monkey pox can cause severe complications,” said Catherine Smallwood, Senior Emergency Officer at WHO Europe.
The monkey pox virus, a disease typically signaled by an unexplainable rash, fever, muscle aches and chills, is caused by a virus in same family of viruses as smallpox. It can spread from infected humans, animals, and materials containing with the virus. Unlike what the name may suggest, the disease doesn’t originate from monkeys. It was named “monkey pox” only because it was first discovered in a monkey, and its origin remains unknown. Monkey pox is usually not deadly. That is, until the worldwide monkey pox outbreak. Spanish health authorities are distributing the 5,300 vaccines that Spain received from the joint EU vaccine purchase scheme. Health workers say that’s far fewer than the number needed to cover the at-risk groups. Many more monkey pox related deaths are expected, not just in Spain, and there have already been 75 suspected deaths in Africa.
The global monkey pox outbreak stacked up more than 22,000 cases in nearly 80 countries since May. Around 8% of these cases have required hospitalization.
“With the continued spread of monkey pox in Europe, we will expect to see more deaths. Our goal needs to be on interrupting transmission quickly in Europe and stopping this outbreak,” Smallwood said.
Links:
https:// www.cdc.gov/ poxvirus/ monk eypox/ about.html
https:// abcnews.go.com/ Health/ wire Story/ spain-reports-2nd-death-monkeypox-87671011
The deaths outside Africa come one week after the World Health Organization declared the monkey pox outbreak a global health emergency. “The notification of deaths due to monkey pox does not change our assessment [to stop the virus] of the outbreak in Europe. We know that although the disease is self-limiting in most cases, monkey pox can cause severe complications,” said Catherine Smallwood, Senior Emergency Officer at WHO Europe.
The monkey pox virus, a disease typically signaled by an unexplainable rash, fever, muscle aches and chills, is caused by a virus in same family of viruses as smallpox. It can spread from infected humans, animals, and materials containing with the virus. Unlike what the name may suggest, the disease doesn’t originate from monkeys. It was named “monkey pox” only because it was first discovered in a monkey, and its origin remains unknown. Monkey pox is usually not deadly. That is, until the worldwide monkey pox outbreak. Spanish health authorities are distributing the 5,300 vaccines that Spain received from the joint EU vaccine purchase scheme. Health workers say that’s far fewer than the number needed to cover the at-risk groups. Many more monkey pox related deaths are expected, not just in Spain, and there have already been 75 suspected deaths in Africa.
The global monkey pox outbreak stacked up more than 22,000 cases in nearly 80 countries since May. Around 8% of these cases have required hospitalization.
“With the continued spread of monkey pox in Europe, we will expect to see more deaths. Our goal needs to be on interrupting transmission quickly in Europe and stopping this outbreak,” Smallwood said.
Links:
https:// www.cdc.gov/ poxvirus/ monk eypox/ about.html
https:// abcnews.go.com/ Health/ wire Story/ spain-reports-2nd-death-monkeypox-87671011
