The World Health Organization on Friday called for “urgent” action to stop the spread of monkeypox in Europe, noting that cases in the region had tripled in the past two weeks.
“Today I urge governments and civil society to step up their efforts to prevent the spread of monkeypox in a growing geographical area,” said Hans Henri Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
“Urgent and coordinated action is essential if we are to turn the tide in the race to reverse the ongoing spread of this disease.”
Since the beginning of May, there has been an increase in cases of monkeypox outside of West and Central African countries where the virus is endemic.
Ninety percent of all laboratory-confirmed cases registered worldwide – or 4,500 infections – are in Europe, said Kluge.
31 countries and territories have now reported infections.
Kluge said Europe remains at the center of the spreading outbreak and the risk remains high.
The WHO does not believe the outbreak currently constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, but will review its position shortly, he said.
According to the WHO, most monkeypox infections to date have been observed in men who have sex with men, at a young age and mainly in urban areas.
It is investigating cases of possible sexual transmission but claims the disease is mainly spread through close contact.
Monkeypox is related to smallpox, which killed millions of people around the world each year before it was eradicated in 1980, but has far less severe symptoms.
The disease begins with a fever and quickly progresses to a rash with scabs. It is usually mild and typically clears up spontaneously after two to three weeks.
Britain has the highest number of reported cases to date – 1,076 according to UK authorities – ahead of Germany (838), Spain (736), Portugal (365) and France (350), according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
London’s Chief Public Health Officer Kevin Fenton on Thursday urged anyone with symptoms not to take part in the weekend’s Pride march in the British capital.
On Friday, Danish laboratory Bavarian Nordic, the only laboratory producing an approved monkeypox vaccine, announced a new shipment of 2.5 million doses to the United States.
U.S. public health officials said Tuesday they would immediately release 56,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine — five times the number previously distributed — in areas of high transmission as part of a major escalation in the country’s vaccination strategy.
The European Medicines Agency announced on Tuesday that it has started reviewing a smallpox vaccine to expand its use against monkeypox.
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