Tannuka Juneja
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday (May 29, 2022) that the Monkeypox virus has now been confirmed in 23 countries with a total of 257 laboratory confirmed cases and around 120 suspects so far. The global health body said in a statement that the sudden appearance of Monkeypox in many countries where the disease is not common indicates an infection that has not been known for some time and a recent outbreak.
The WHO has warned that Monkeypox now poses a “moderate risk” to global public health.
The WHO said no casualties have been reported so far. The agency said it expected to report more cases as surveillance expands to local and non-local countries.
“The public health risk could become high if this virus exploits the opportunity to establish itself as a human pathogen and spreads to groups at higher risk of severe diseases such as young children and immunosuppressed persons,” the health agency said.
Monkeypox is a rare viral infection similar to the human cocoon. It was first discovered in 1958 in monkeys kept for research, and the first Monkeypox in humans was reported in 1970. The disease is mainly found in the rainforests of central and western Africa.
The virus belongs to the Poxviridae family and also contains viruses that cause chickenpox and smallpox,
