Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said yesterday, Tuesday August 20, that MPOX, despite its new strains, does not represent a threat comparable to the COVVI-19. The organization stresses that the methods to control its spread are known and effective.
Kluge calls for a global concerted action to combat MPOX, emphasizing the importance of a proactive rather than reactive response. It warns against cycles of panic and negligence, stressing that the current reaction will be decisive for the future.
MPOX, a potentially fatal viral infection, worried by its apparently more contagious clade variant. A case linked to an African epidemic was confirmed in Sweden, marking its first appearance outside the African continent.
WHO encourages a global approach, believing that the fight against the new strain will also benefit the less severe variant of Clade 2, present since 2022. About 100 new cases of the latter are reported monthly in Europe.
Unlike COVVI-19, MPOX is mainly transmitted by close physical contact. The health authorities remain vigilant in the face of any changes, but no recommendation for wearing the mask is currently issued.
Tunisia strengthens its health surveillance measures
In Tunisia, reinforced monitoring measures are set up, especially at the borders, in response to the WHO World Emergency Declaration. Although no cases has been detected in these countries, the situation remains under close surveillance, particularly due to the challenges posed by migratory flows and the fragility of the Libyan health system.
The risk is all the greater since the uncontrolled influx of migrants from sub -Saharan Africa, often without any health control, could facilitate the introduction of the virus in Tunisia and Libya.
This combination of factors – the instability of the Libyan health system and the unregulated entry of migrants – could make it extremely difficult to control a possible epidemic, thus posing a direct threat to Tunisia.
Global health emergency
The WHO recently declared the variolate of the monkey a global health emergency following an important epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has spread to neighboring African countries.
Just for yesterday, WHO recorded more than 19,000 cases and 548 dead on the African continent, including more than 96% in the DRC. The virus has already spread to countries like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
