Monkey Pox Cases On Rise: WHO

According to the World Health Organization, the number of cases of monkeypox has increased by 20% over the past week, with more than 35,000 infections and 12 fatalities reported from 92 different countries (WHO). 

According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, "about 7,500 cases were reported last week, a 20% increase over the previous week, which was also 20% greater than the week before." Nearly all instances are still being recorded among men who have sex with other men, and almost all cases are coming from Europe and the Americas. 

The WHO director urged nations to improve disease surveillance and contact tracing, saying it highlights how crucial it is for all nations to create and deliver services and information that are specifically tailored to these populations and that defend health, human rights, and dignity. 

According to Ghebreyesus, the main goal for all nations should be to make sure they are prepared for monkeypox and to stop transmission using efficient public health strategies, such as targeted risk communication, community participation, and risk reduction measures. 

The head of WHO acknowledged the value of immunizations in halting the outbreak but warned that both vaccine supply and information on their efficacy are scarce. Rosamund Lewis, the WHO's technical lead on monkeypox, said that there have been reports of breakthrough cases in which people who received the shots after being exposed to the virus are still ill, as well as cases in which people contracted the illness after receiving the vaccine as a preventative measure. 

The monkeypox vaccination can be given either before or after exposure to lower the chance of developing a serious illness or infection. However, at the moment, mass vaccines against monkeypox are not advised; instead, only those in certain countries who are at risk are qualified. Lewis told reporters, "We have understood from the beginning that this vaccine would not be a silver bullet, that it would not live up to all the expectations that are being placed on it, and that we do not have strong efficacy or effectiveness evidence in this setting.