The European Commission is closely monitoring the situation around the monkeypox outbreak within the bloc, being in close contact with EU member states, European Commission spokesman Stefan de Keersmaecker said on Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2022) The European Commission is closely monitoring the situation around the monkeypox outbreak within the bloc, being in close contact with EU member states, European Commission spokesman Stefan de Keersmaecker said on Friday.
"On the monkeypox outbreak, I would like to stress that we are monitoring the situation very closely. We remain in close contact with the member states and participants countries in the Health Security Committee," Keersmaecker told a briefing.
Earlier in the day, the World Health Organization said it would convene an emergency meeting of experts to discuss the outbreak of monkeypox as more and more member states report cases.
The UK Health Security Agency was the first health authority in Europe to publicly report a case of monkeypox on May 7, in a patient who recently traveled from Nigeria. Since then, cases of monkeypox have also been confirmed in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United States.
Monkeypox is a rare viral disease transmitted to humans from animals, with lethality ranging from 1% to 10%. The disease does not spread easily among people, but it may have complications.
Monkeypox predominantly occurs in Central and West Africa and results in swelling of the lymph nodes as well as widespread rash on the body, similar to the symptoms seen in patients with smallpox, but less severe. The incubation period usually lasts from six to 13 days but it can last up to 21 days. The symptoms of monkeypox are fever, back and muscle pain, and a rash on the body.
