Agencies-Gaza post
WHO warns of major outbreak of “monkeypox”
A senior European health official on Saturday warned that cases of the rare monkeypox virus may accelerate in the coming months, as the virus spreads across Europe.
“As we enter the summer season, with mass gatherings, festivals and parties, I am concerned that transmission could accelerate,” said Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
Kluge said cases had been detected in recent weeks in European countries including Portugal and Sweden, as well as the United States, Canada and Australia.
He added that all but one of the recent cases had no relevant travel history to monkeypox endemic areas.
The health official warned that the transmission of infection could be reinforced by the fact that the cases currently detected are among those who engage in “sexual activity”, and many do not recognize the symptoms.
Most of the initial cases of the disease were among “homosexual men seeking treatment in sexual health clinics,” Kluge said, adding that “this indicates that transmission may have been ongoing for some time.”
For its part, the Israeli Ministry of Health confirmed the diagnosis of the first case of monkeypox in the country, which is spreading to other countries around the world.
For its part, the World Health Organization said it was investigating the fact that many of the reported cases were of “homosexual or bisexual” people.
The official’s statement came as France, Belgium and Germany reported their first cases of monkeypox, and Italy confirmed that it now had three cases linked to the disease.
In Spain, the Ministry of Health has reported seven confirmed cases, and said it is waiting for confirmation for another 23. But a regional health official said that authorities had recorded 21 confirmed cases in the Madrid region, most of them linked to a “gay-friendly” sauna in the heart of the capital.
UK health officials on Friday reported 11 more confirmed cases in England, bringing the total to 20. Portugal has recorded 23 confirmed cases.
