Outbreaks appear to be exacerbated in Europe and the United States last month. Around 900 patients are now infected within the EU alone. Bloc Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakidis announced the order on Tuesday, saying the order would be purchased with EU funds and delivered to Member States by the end of June. Monkey pox has come to international attention following recent outbreaks in many countries where it has never been seen before. The agreement was reached through the bloc’s Emergency Health Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), which was set up to avoid mistakes made in the EU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccines and antiviral drugs will also be provided to non-bloc members Norway and Iceland.
How bad is the last outbreak?
The current international epidemic has seen more than 1,600 confirmed cases, mainly in Europe, but also in North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australia. The disease is usually detected and transmitted only in areas where it is endemic through rodent or small animal bites. It usually does not spread easily, but is thought to be transmitted through close contact with an infected person. Germany is considering preventive vaccinations for anyone considered to be at high risk of coming into contact with the disease. The high-risk category includes men who have sex with alternating male partners, as well as staff in specialized laboratories working with infectious specimens containing monkey pox. While the disease can be fatal, it is also treatable. Symptoms include fever, headache, and pus-filled skin lesions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the spread of monkeypox as a “limiting condition”, with WHO official Rosamund Lewis saying there was no evidence the virus had been mutated. rc / dj (Reuters, dpa)
