The World Health Organization today called for “urgent action” against monkeypox in Europe, in the face of the tripling of cases that has been observed in the past two weeks in the old continent.
In a statement, the WHO regional director called on European countries to “increase their efforts in the coming weeks and months to prevent monkeypox from spreading over a wider geographical area”.
“Urgent and coordinated action is imperative if we are to turn the tide in the fight against of the transmission of the disease”, estimates the director of WHO Europe, Hans Kluge.
According to the health agency's data, Europe now has more than 4,500 laboratory-confirmed cases, three times more than in mid-June.
This figure represents 90% of recorded cases worldwide. since mid-May, when this disease, which until then was endemic in only ten African countries, began to spread in Europe.
At the center of this new contagious disease, Europe already counts 31 countries or territories that have reported cases of monkeypox.
UN experts had on Saturday considered the large increase in cases as a health threat, the development of which is very alarming, but has not yet reached the stage of the global health need.
Despite this decision, “the rapid development and urgency of this event means that the committee (of experts) will reconsider its position shortly”, states WHO Europe.< /p>
