WHO to convene emergency meeting of experts to discuss monkeypox outbreak

WHO to convene emergency meeting of experts to discuss monkeypox outbreak

England confirmed its first case on May 7. As per the UK Health Security Agency, the British patient had recently returned from Nigeria.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is set to convene an emergency meeting of experts to discuss the latest outbreak of monkeypox amid rapid rise in cases.

The key agenda of the meeting is going to be transmission of the virus, its high prevalence in gays and bisexual men, as well as the situation with vaccines.

Several countries across the world including the United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Australia and Canada have been witnessing rise in the number of monkeypox cases since early May.

England confirmed its first case on May 7. As per the UK Health Security Agency, the British patient had recently returned from Nigeria.

WHO to convene emergency meeting of experts to discuss monkeypox outbreak
Monkeypox Virus: Types, symptoms, causes, and treatment

On May 18, Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed a single case of monkeypox virus in an adult male with recent travel history to Canada.

According to the release, the case poses no risk to the public, and the individual is hospitalized and in good condition.

Monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral illness that typically begins with flu-like illness and swelling of the lymph nodes and progresses to a rash on the face and body and most infections last 2-to-4 weeks.

“In parts of central and west Africa where monkeypox occurs, people can be exposed through bites or scratches from rodents and small mammals, preparing wild game, or having contact with an infected animal or possibly animal products,” the statement reads.

This virus does not spread easily between people but transmission can occur through contact with the body fluids, monkeypox sores, items that have been contaminated with fluids or sores like clothing, bedding or through respiratory droplets following prolonged face-to-face contact.

Texas and Maryland had reported one case each in 2021 in people with recent travel to Nigeria.

The United Kingdom has identified 9 cases of monkeypox and while the first case had recently traveled to Nigeria, the remaining eight have not reported recent travel.

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