The World Health Organization (WHO) has activated the highest alert level to try to contain the monkeypox epidemic. About 17,000 people in 74 countries.

“We have decided to declare a comprehensive international public health emergency,” also called the USPPI, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference. Expert, risk in the world relatively mild except Europe, where it is high.

Following Tedros’ statement, Hans Kluge, WHO’s head for Europe, advised those at higher risk of transmission to “think”. limit your partners and sexual interactions Currently” are “men who have sex with men, and especially men with multiple partners,” according to the organization.

Especially for this population, WHO recommends that countries, especially from the old continent, socialization strategies and more to contain the virus; not without first asking these communities to be respected.

Since early May, when it was first detected outside of Africa, the disease has affected more than one person. 16,836 people in 74 countries. This was stated by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of July 22.

The number of cases worldwide is rising, although health authorities in the UK, one of the epicenters of the epidemic, have reported a slowdown in the infection rate.

Tedros also announced that the committee of experts was split and nine members opposed each other. enable USPPI and six favors. In the end, it was he who made the decision.

“This is a call to action, but not the first,” said Mike Ryan, WHO’s head of emergency. The expert said he hopes this will lead to collective action against the disease. The USPPI call is used when: “serious, sudden, unusual, or unexpected”.

This is the seventh time WHO has used this alert level. At the first meeting on June 23, most experts advised Tedros not to declare the USPPI an emergency.

And vaccines?

Monkeypox was first discovered in 1970, less dangerous and contagious More so than smallpox, it was eradicated in 1980. In most cases, patients are men who have sex with men, are relatively young, and mostly live in cities.

A study published Thursday New England Journal of Medicine in 95% of recent cases transmitted through sexual contact. 98% of those affected were gay or bisexual men.

So far, the virus has generally only been transmitted from animals to humans in a few West African countries, but has spread to dozens of countries around the world.

According to Rosamund Lewis, WHO’s leading expert on monkeypox, the explanation is that a more open world allows the virus to travel and settle in a group. can roam more actively due to social habits (frequent encounters, sexual relations with several partners, etc.)

On Friday, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it had approved the use of a smallpox vaccine. use against monkey disease. The Imvanex vaccine from the Danish Bavarian Nordic company has been approved in the European Union since 2013 for the prevention of smallpox. WHO recommends that people at higher risk and healthcare workers who may be exposed to the disease be vaccinated.

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With information from AFP