MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd May, 2022) The current outbreak of monkeypox does not require introduction of any additional measures on behalf of the US government, as the country has both vaccines and experience of dealing with the disease, US President Joe Biden said on Monday.
During a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, Biden was asked by reporters whether the United States was considering reinforcing steps to counter the spread of monkeypox along the line of other countries that have imposed a 21-day quarantine for infected or even exposed people.
"No, I don't think so. Look, we've had this monkeypox in large numbers in the past, number one. Number two, we have vaccines to take care of it. Number three, thus far it does not seem to be a need for any kind of extra effort," Biden said.
The president further stressed that he does not expect monkeypox to climb to the level of concern caused by COVID-19. He also noted that smallpox vaccine is effective against monkeypox infection, adding that the US possesses enough vaccines in stockpiles to address the current magnitude of the problem.
Earlier in the day, Belgium, which has already confirmed four cases of monkeypox, announced requiring infected people to be quarantined for 21 days, given the virus' long incubation period.
Monkeypox is a rare viral disease, which is usually transmitted to people from wild animals and is endemic in African countries. Monkeypox can be transmitted from human to human through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and other contaminated materials. The disease usually results in fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes, with case fatality rate ranging from 1% to 10%. Since May 7, when the United Kingdom reported the first case in Europe, monkeypox have been detected in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.
