WHO Director General: People only care about monkeypox when it spreads in rich countries
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus – Photo: REUTERS
During a press conference in Switzerland on June 8, World Health Organization (WHO) officials said the number of monkeypox cases outside Africa has exceeded 1,000, spread across 29 countries.
According to WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, although it has spread to many countries, monkeypox has not yet caused any deaths. Meanwhile in Africa, where the disease has existed for decades, more than 1,400 cases have been reported this year and 66 deaths.
According to the WHO assessment, the outbreak has shown signs of community transmission in some countries, so the organization recommends that people with monkeypox disease should be isolated at home.
The risk of monkeypox appearing in other countries where the disease has not been recorded is present but is completely preventable, said Tedros.
The WHO Director-General, who is from Ethiopia, also shared his thoughts on how the world is responding to monkeypox.
According to him, the disease has existed for a long time in Africa, but the international community only noticed this disease when it began to spread to rich countries, such as Europe and the US.
Rosamund Lewis, WHO technical team leader on monkeypox, said “close personal contact” remains the main way the disease is transmitted. However, in case of unknown cases, caregivers and medical staff still need to wear masks when meeting sick people.
The WHO added that cases remained predominantly in men who have sex with men, although cases in women have been reported.
The ideal time for post-exposure vaccination, including for healthcare workers or close contacts, is within 4 days. Studies have shown that smallpox vaccine also works against monkeypox.
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