There's A Real Risk Of Monkeypox Becoming 'Established' Outside Africa, WHO Says

Theres a risk of monkeypox becoming established in countries where it is not usually seen, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said most monkeypox cases are appearing among men who have had sexual relations with other men. Some countries are also starting to report possible community transmission of the virus, which is capable of going airborne and spreading through close contact.

More than 1,000 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in countries where the condition is not endemic roughly double the number reported last week. Monkeypox is believed to have been spreading undetected in non-endemic countries for some time, and the WHO has said that the actual number of cases is likely much higher than the confirmed figure.

However, the risk of contracting the virus which most people recover from within a few weeks remains low, health officials have said.

Over 1,000 #monkeypox cases have been reported from 29 countries where the disease is not endemic, with no deaths reported so far in these countries. @WHO urges affected countries to identify all cases and contacts to control the outbreak and prevent onward spread. pic.twitter.com/5V9kJaM2FA

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Over 1,000 #monkeypox cases have been reported from 29 countries where the disease is not endemic, with no deaths reported so far in these countries. @WHO urges affected countries to identify all cases and contacts to control the outbreak and prevent onward spread. pic.twitter.com/5V9kJaM2FA
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) June 8, 2022

The risk of monkeypox becoming established in non-endemic countries is real, Tedros said. There are effective ways for people to protect themselves and others. People with symptoms should isolate at home and consult a health worker. Those who share a household with an infected person should avoid close contact.

In the U.K. which has seen the highest number of confirmed cases outside of the nine African countries where monkeypox is endemic health officials have advised anyone infected with the virus to use condoms for eight weeks after infection, and to abstain from sex while symptomatic. These are precautionary measures, as it is not yet known if monkeypox can spread through semen or vaginal fluids.

In the U.S., 40 cases have been reported as of Wednesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats more than double the 18 cases it reported last week.