زيادة حالات الإصابة بفيروس جدري القرود في منطقة شرق المتوسط – ‎ تصل إلى 900 حالة

The director of the Monkeypox Events at the World Health Organization, Dr. Shatha Mohammed, revealed the global situation of the monkeypox virus, indicating that cases have been reported in 117 countries around the world since 2022, with a limited number of cases recorded in the Eastern Mediterranean region with less than 900 cases until mid-August, including only one death.

She explained during a conference with the World Health Organization today that countries need to enhance surveillance measures to detect new cases of the monkeypox virus.

She emphasized that the organization recommends vaccination against the monkeypox virus for specific groups who are most susceptible to infection, including healthcare workers who are daily exposed to infection.

During a conference held by the regional office of the World Health Organization for the Eastern Mediterranean countries today, she pointed out that the most needy groups for vaccination against monkeypox are individuals with multiple sexual partners and those in contact with infected individuals, and the organization does not recommend vaccination for all community groups.

Dr. Shatha Mohammed explained that the organization is still gathering evidence and information about the efficacy of the monkeypox vaccine, noting that countries like Congo have shown that those who received the smallpox vaccine before 1980 are less prone to monkeypox virus infection.

What is Monkeypox Disease?

The Ministry of Health stated that monkeypox disease is a zoonotic viral disease that is transmitted to humans from a variety of wild animals, with many cases found near tropical rainforests where animals carrying the virus live.

Risk of Monkeypox Infection Transmission

The Ministry of Health pointed out in the guidance document it issued to combat monkeypox that the virus remains limited in its spread from person to person, requiring close contact with the infected person. The symptoms of the disease are similar to those seen in past smallpox patients, but are less clinically severe, characterized by a fever followed by the appearance of a multi-shaped skin rash that eventually disappears completely within a period of two to four weeks. Lymph node enlargement is also a distinctive feature of monkeypox.

The disease affects all age groups, confirming that most of the time there are no complications, but children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems are at risk of complications from monkeypox and death.