WHO issues first situation report on spread of monkeypox
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday issued its first report on the spread of monkeypox. The report details typical profile of those affecrted by the outbreak. Available statistics say that almost all monkeypox patients are male. The median age of those infected is 37. The WHO said that three-fifths of those infected identify as men who have sex with men.
A surge in monkeypox infections has been reported since early May outside the West and Central African countries where the disease has long been endemic.
From January 1 to July 4, 6,027 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox and three deaths have been reported to the WHO from 59 countries.
Since June 27, case numbers have gone up by 77 per cent. During this time period two new deaths have been recorded. Both have taken place in Central African Republic
The WHO said 10 countries have not reported new cases for more than 21 days — the disease’s maximum incubation period.
Some 82 percent of the cases are in Europe and 15 percent are in the Americas.
The countries with more than 1,000 confirmed cases are Britain (1,351), Spain (1,256) and Germany (1,242), according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and WHO Europe.
Outside Europe, the WHO report counted 460 confirmed cases in the United States and 300 in Canada.
Sexual contact transmission route
In its first bi-weekly situation report on monkeypox, the WHO said that gender data was available on 4,406 cases, of which 99.5 percent were men.
“The outbreak continues to primarily affect men who have sex with men who have reported recent sex with one or multiple male partners, suggesting no signal of sustained transmission beyond these networks for now,” the report said.
Men aged 18 to 44 account for 79 percent of cases, with the median age being 37.
There are six known cases among children aged under 18, and 25 known cases among healthcare workers.
(With inputs from agencies)
