• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Gay Pride
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Film/TV/Stream
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Tech/Science
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox

WHO working on more monkeypox guidance as cases rise – senior adviser

Towleroad May 21, 2022 Leave a Comment

Published by
Reuters
523333 origin 1

By Jennifer Rigby

LONDON (Reuters) – The World Health Organization is working on further guidance for countries on how to mitigate the spread of monkeypox, amid concerns cases could spike further in the summer months, a senior adviser for the U.N. agency told Reuters.

The WHO’s working theory based on the cases identified so far is that the outbreak is being driven by sexual contact, said David Heymann, chair of the WHO’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Hazards with Pandemic and Epidemic Potential. He led a meeting on the outbreak on Friday.

Monkeypox is an infectious disease that is usually mild, and is endemic in parts of west and central Africa. It is spread by close contact, which means it can be relatively easily contained through such measures as self-isolation and hygiene once a new case is identified. See EXPLAINER:

The outbreak in 11 countries where it is not endemic is highly unusual, according to scientists. More than 100 confirmed or suspected cases have been reported, most of them in Europe.

Heymann, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said experts were likely to give more guidance to countries in the coming days. Health officials in several countries have warned that cases could rise further at major summer gatherings and festivals.

“What seems to be happening now is that it has got into the population as a sexual form, as a genital form, and is being spread as are sexually transmitted infections, which has amplified its transmission around the world,” Heymann said.

He said the WHO’s meeting was convened “because of the urgency of the situation”. The committee is not the group that would suggest declaring a public health emergency of international concern, WHO’s highest form of alert, which currently applies to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead Heymann said the international committee of experts, which met via video conference, looked at what needed to be studied about the outbreak and communicated to the public, including whether there is any asymptomatic spread, who are at most risk, and what the various routes of transmission are.

He said close contact was the key transmission route for the virus as the lesions that are typical of the disease are very infectious. For example, parents caring for sick children are at risk, as well as health workers, which is why some countries have started inoculating the teams treating monkeypox patients using vaccines for smallpox, a related virus.

Many of the current cases have been identified at sexual health clinics.

Early genomic sequencing of a handful of the cases in Europe has suggested a similarity with that spread in a limited fashion in Britain, Israel and Singapore in 2018.

Heymann said it was “biologically plausible” that the virus had since been circulating outside of the countries where it is endemic, but had not led to major outbreaks as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns, social distancing and travel restrictions.

He stressed that the monkeypox outbreak did not resemble the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic because it does not transmit as easily. Those who suspect they may have been exposed or who are showing symptoms, including the typical bumpy rash and fever, should avoid close contact with others, he said.

“There are vaccines available, but the most important message is, you can protect yourself,” he added.

(Reporting by Jennifer Rigby; Editing by Pravin Char)

Topics: Aaon, Covid-19, Dance, Fashion, Film/TV/Stream, Travel, World More Posts About: Monkeypox, world health organization

Related Posts
  • Monkeypox State-by-State Case Count (CDC and State Health Orgs) & CDC Health Guidelines
  • Monkeypox is Real: Most Cases Are Gay/Bi Men (1000+). This Version Seems More Contagious, But Less Lethal. Symptoms, Spread, Origin, Vaccine
  • U.S. CDC confirms evidence of local monkeypox transmission; WHO Considers Declaring Monkeypox a Global Health Emergency
  • Lady Gaga, Tom Daley and first all-male ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ couple among winners of 2022 ‘British LGBT Awards’

    Lady Gaga, Tom Daley and first all-male ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ couple among winners of 2022 ‘British LGBT Awards’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Lady Gaga, Tom Daley and the first all-male ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ couple were among the winners of this year’s ‘British LGBT Awards’. Vogue director Edward Enninful, 50, and singer Alicia Keys, …Read More »
  • Factbox-Where abortion is still legal in the U.S. after the fall of Roe v. Wade

    Factbox-Where abortion is still legal in the U.S. after the fall of Roe v. Wade

    Published by Reuters (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision paves the way for about half of the 50 states to ban or heavily restrict women’s access to abortions. …Read More »
  • Analysis-Trump’s justices decisive in long campaign to overturn Roe v. Wade

    Analysis-Trump’s justices decisive in long campaign to overturn Roe v. Wade

    Published by Reuters By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Seventeen months after leaving office, former President Donald Trump delivered on a campaign promise when the conservative U.S. Supreme Court majority he cemented overturned the 1973 Roe …Read More »
  • U.S. Supreme Court overturns abortion rights landmark

    U.S. Supreme Court overturns abortion rights landmark

    Published by Reuters By Lawrence Hurley and Andrew Chung WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday took the dramatic step of overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that recognized a woman’s constitutional …Read More »
Previous Post: « Erdogan demands concessions to back Swedish, Finnish NATO membership
Next Post: Giuliani meets with U.S. House Jan. 6 panel, CNN reports »

Primary Sidebar

News

  • Billie Eilish tells Glastonbury fans to scream away anxieties at history making headline slot

    Billie Eilish tells Glastonbury fans to scream away anxieties at history making headline slot

  • Landmark gun-safety bill heads to U.S. House after Senate passage

    Landmark gun-safety bill heads to U.S. House after Senate passage

  • Prosecutors seek 25-year prison sentence for Chauvin over breach of Floyd’s rights

    Prosecutors seek 25-year prison sentence for Chauvin over breach of Floyd’s rights

RSS Partner Links

  • Why WEEKEND Is Still The Hottest Explicit Gay Film
  • Saturday 'Stache
  • Maya Rudolph Says She Forces Her Kids To Play Music
  • Lizzo Donating $500K From Upcoming Tour To Planned Parenthood
  • Lily James, Kit Harington, Rose Leslie & More Celebs Have Been Spotted at Glastonbury 2022! (Photos)
  • WATCH: Julie Andrews looks back at legendary career and first appearance on “The View”
  • Billy Eichner’s upcoming movie “Bros” could do lots to educate straights about romantic lives of gays

Most Recent

  • US sports stars shocked by ‘terrifying’ abortion decision

    US sports stars shocked by ‘terrifying’ abortion decision

  • Lady Gaga, Tom Daley and first all-male ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ couple among winners of 2022 ‘British LGBT Awards’

    Lady Gaga, Tom Daley and first all-male ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ couple among winners of 2022 ‘British LGBT Awards’

  • Factbox-Where abortion is still legal in the U.S. after the fall of Roe v. Wade

    Factbox-Where abortion is still legal in the U.S. after the fall of Roe v. Wade

  • Analysis-Trump’s justices decisive in long campaign to overturn Roe v. Wade

    Analysis-Trump’s justices decisive in long campaign to overturn Roe v. Wade

  • U.S. Supreme Court overturns abortion rights landmark

    U.S. Supreme Court overturns abortion rights landmark

  • Elon Musk’s daughter granted name change to cut ties with father and reflect new gender identity

    Elon Musk’s daughter granted name change to cut ties with father and reflect new gender identity

  • Prince Charles to give blessing to Commonwealth countries wanting to remove Queen Elizabeth as head of state

    Prince Charles to give blessing to Commonwealth countries wanting to remove Queen Elizabeth as head of state

  • Anne Hathaway ‘so influenced’ by Patricia Field

    Anne Hathaway ‘so influenced’ by Patricia Field

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Log in