Limpopo has confirmed its first case of Monkeypox. Photo: Stock/Canva
780 laboratory-confirmed monkeypox cases reported to WHO
The WHO has received 780 reports of laboratory-confirmed monkeypox cases from 13 May to 2 June in 27 non-endemic countries.
Limpopo has confirmed its first case of Monkeypox. Photo: Stock/Canva
On Sunday, 5 June, the World Health Organization said that 780 laboratory-confirmed monkeypox cases had been reported to it. The cases come from 27 non-endemic countries. The WHO maintains that the global risk level of monkeypox is moderate.
780 cases in 20 days
The WHO said the 780 cases span from 13 May to 2 June and were most likely underestimated as there is limited epidemiological and laboratory information. The health agency said few hospitalisations have been reported – apart from isolations.
“It is highly likely that other countries will identify cases and there will be further spread of the virus,”
WHO.
The non-endemic countries reporting the most monkeypox cases are as follows:
- Britain with 207 cases;
- Spain with 156 cases;
- Portugal with 138 cases;
- Canada with 58 cases and;
- Germany with 57 cases.
Argentina, Australia, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have also reported cases in single figures, reports EWN.
The global risk level has been assessed as moderate
“Some countries are reporting that new generations of cases are no longer appearing only among known contacts of previously confirmed cases, suggesting that chains of transmission are being missed through undetected circulation of the virus,” the WHO said.
The WHO explained that the current risk to human health remains low however, the public health risk could become high if the monkeypox virus establishes itself in non-endemic countries as a widespread human pathogen.
“WHO assesses the risk at the global level as moderate considering this is the first time that many monkeypox cases and clusters are reported concurrently in non-endemic and endemic countries.”
Monkeypox outbreak: Western media slammed for using images of black people
The Foreign Press Association Africa has slammed media outlets for using images of black people alongside stories of the monkeypox outbreak in North America and the United Kingdom.
Last week, a number of countries in Europe reported an outbreak of Monkeypox, however, most international media have been using images of black people alongside stories of the outbreak.
What is Monkeypox? According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by monkeypox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. As any other disease, it can occur in any region in the world and afflict anyone regardless of race or ethnicity. Read the full story here.
