WHO has said that so far there have been 257 cases of monkeypox in 23 countries. 120 cases are suspected. It has been said by WHO that these are the countries where monkeypox is not commonly found. The WHO has said that for the time being the level of epidemic risk is moderate.
New Delhi: Cases of monkeypox have now started increasing in many countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday that according to the data till Thursday, 257 cases have been confirmed in 23 countries. At the same time, reports of 120 suspected cases have come to the fore. These are all countries where monkeypox is not commonly found. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 12 cases in eight states as of Friday afternoon.
The WHO said that in five African countries where monkeypox is commonly found, 1365 cases and 69 deaths have been reported. These cases have been found at different times between December and May. There have been no deaths from monkeypox in 23 countries so far. On Sunday, the WHO said that since 2017 some deaths of people with monkeypox in West Africa have been due to young age or HIV infection.
The WHO said that the global risk level of the pandemic is moderate. The agency further explained that this is the first time that cases of monkeypox have spread widely across disparate geographic regions such as West or Central Africa. However, the WHO has cautioned that the level of public exposure may increase if the virus mutates itself into a human pathogen and infects those with weakened immunity.
However, till now cases of monkeypox have been found more in homosexuals. WHO recently advised gay men to be careful. On Sunday, the WHO said that all efforts should be made to ensure that the affected people and communities are not accused of any kind. Monkeypox, however, is not a virus spread through sexual intercourse. But if someone has monkeypox rashes on their body then they can come on another person's body.