Monkeypox Infection Cases in UK Reach 225

Monkeypox cases in the UK reached 225 infections after reporting 15 new cases in England, eight in Scotland, two in Northern Ireland, and one in Wales, Al Ain reported on Saturday.

The Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Ghebreyesus said the rapid emergence of the monkeypox could prove that the virus was spreading undetected.

Ghebreyesus explained: “Investigations are ongoing but the sudden appearance of monkeypox in many countries at the same time suggests there may have been undetected transmission for some time."

The outbreak was considered a “moderate” public health risk, WHO mentioned.

The organization revealed: “Currently, the overall public health risk at global level is assessed as moderate considering this is the first time that monkeypox cases and clusters are reported concurrently in widely disparate WHO geographical areas, and without known epidemiological links to non-endemic countries in West or Central Africa."

Earlier, Sylvia Briand, WHO Director for Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness, said on Friday that there is no need for mass vaccination currently against the lately emerged Monkeypox.

She asserted that countries should take immediate actions to control the spread of the virus, and share the data about their available vaccines.

“We think that if we put in place the right measures now we probably can contain this easily,” Briand told the agency’s annual assembly.

In the same context, the senior WHO official revealed that the Monkeypox is a mild viral infection in several countries in West Africa.

However, it spreads to several non-epidemic countries in Europe, US, and Canada.

“For us, we think that the key priority currently is trying to contain this transmission in non-endemic countries,” Briand explained.

She also asserted that countries should apply isolation and early detection for the cases who were in contact with infected persons, in addition, she urged countries to share their information about the available smallpox vaccines and treatments.

“We don’t know exactly the number of doses available in the world and so that’s why we encourage countries to come to WHO and tell us what are their stockpiles.”