CNBC – The WHO said the recent monkeypox outbreaks are unusual because they are occurring in countries where the virus is not endemic.
More cases will likely be reported in the coming days as surveillance expands, the global health agency said.
Monkeypox is spread through close contact. It usually begins with flu-like symptoms and then progresses to body rashes.
It can result in death for 1 in 10 people who contract the disease based on observations in Africa, according to the CDC.
The World Health Organization has confirmed about 80 cases of monkeypox with recent outbreaks reported in 11 countries, according to a statement Friday from the global health agency.
“As monkeypox spreads through close contact, the response should focus on the people affected and their close contacts.”
The outbreaks are unusual because they are occurring in countries where the virus is not endemic, according to the WHO. More cases will likely be reported in the coming days as surveillance broadens, it said.
“WHO is working with the affected countries and others to expand disease surveillance to find and support people who may be affected, and to provide guidance on how to manage the disease,” the agency said.
European nations have confirmed dozens of cases in the largest outbreak of monkeypox ever on the continent, according to the German military.
The U.S. has confirmed at least one case, and Canada has confirmed two. Monkeypox is usually found in Central and West African rainforests where animals that carry the virus live, according to the WHO.
Monkeypox is a disease caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox but is not as severe, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, monkeypox can result in death in as many as 1 in 10 people who contract the disease based on observations in Africa, according to the CDC … READ MORE.
