Jennifer Rigby

LONDON (Reuters] – A senior advisor to the U.N agency said that the World Health Organization was working with countries to provide guidance on ways they could reduce monkeypox spread. There are concerns about cases increasing in the summer months.

Based on all the confirmed cases, the WHO believes that sexual contact is the primary source of the epidemic. David Heymann is chairperson of the WHO’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Epidemic and Pandemic Potential. On Friday, he led a meeting about the outbreak.

The infectious disease Monkeypox, which is often mild and endemic in some parts of central and west Africa is usually mild. Because it is transmitted by close contact, the disease can be easily controlled through measures such as hygiene and self-isolation once each case has been identified. See the EXPLAINER.

According to scientists, the unusual occurrence of an outbreak in 11 countries is not common. Over 100 suspected or confirmed cases of the disease have been identified, with most occurring in Europe.

Heymann, who is also a professor at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said experts would likely give countries more direction in the coming days. Many countries’ health officials have expressed concern that the number of cases may rise at large summer events and festivals.

Heymann explained that the “what seems to be going on now is that this has got into population as a sexual type, as a Genital form and has been spreading as are sexually transmitted infection, which has amplified their transmission around the globe.”

The WHO meeting was convened because of “the urgency of this situation”, he said. This is the WHO’s most severe form of alert. It applies currently to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Heymann stated that the international panel of experts met by videoconference to examine the facts and to communicate to the public the findings of the epidemic. This included whether or not there has been any spread of the disease, the most at-risk individuals, and the transmission routes.

As the typical lesions of the disease, close contact is the most important transmission channel. The virus can also be transmitted to parents who care for their sick children. Some countries are now inoculating monkeypox teams with vaccines against smallpox.

Many cases are being treated in sexual health clinics.

A few cases from Europe have been sequenced early genomically to show a pattern similar to the one that was spread in limited ways in Israel, Britain and Singapore in 2018.

Heymann stated that it was biologically plausible for the virus to have circulated outside the countries where it’s endemic. However, it had not caused major epidemics due to COVID-19 restrictions, travel restrictions, and social distancing.

The monkeypox epidemic did not look like that of the COVID-19 pandemic. It does not spread as quickly. He advised those who think they might have been exposed to the virus or are experiencing symptoms such as a bumpy skin and fever that they should stay away from others.

“Vaccins are available. But the most important message to you is: You can protect yourself,” he said.