The World Health Organization Thursday (July 7) confirmed the rise in monkeypox cases in its latest weekly count. The report states that there has been a 77% weekly increase in the number of lab-confirmed monkeypox cases, to more than 6,000 worldwide, following two more deaths in parts of Africa where the monkeypox virus has circulated for years.
The U.N. health agency said that the cases have been mostly reported from Europe and Africa, and the mysterious outbreak continues to mainly affect men who have had sex with men, whereas the other population groups showed no signs of sustained transmission.
According to the WHO, 6,027 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox have been counted from 59 countries as of Monday, compare to its last count for the week that ended June 27. Further, it also confirmed that there have been 3 fatalities from Africa in connection with the monkeypox outbreak.
The agency said nine additional countries had reported cases, while 10 countries had not reported any new cases for more than three weeks, which is the maximum incubation period.
In a statement WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that he remained “concerned by the scale and spread of the virus,” noting that over 80% of the cases came from Europe. He said he would convene the next meeting of a WHO expert panel that is monitoring the outbreak no later than the week of July 18.
People who have been affected by the monkeypox virus experience fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. However, those who are with more serious illnesses may develop a rash and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body. In parts of Africa, this disease is at its endemic stage, where people have been numerously affected by the monkeypox virus through bites from rodents or small animals. However, experts say that compare to COVID-19, the monkeypox virus does not usually spread easily among people.
Cases began emerging in Europe and the United States in May. Many of the individuals who contracted the virus had an international travel history.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.
