Reports of new cases of monkeypox infection have been circulating in Europe for days. After the disease had already spread in Germany and Italy, Switzerland also reported the first case on Saturday. While leading scientists see no cause for concern, some people caution caution.
After the first case in Munich, three cases were also registered in the German capital Berlin on Saturday. In Switzerland, however, a suspicious case was confirmed in the canton of Bern. The person concerned has probably come into contact with the virus abroad, is being treated on an outpatient basis and is in isolation at home.
Don’t underestimate the spread
“We have to be careful,” noted American virologist Eric Feigl-Ding via Twitter. He cautions against downplaying the potential danger just because there have been only minor outbreaks of monkeypox outside of Africa in the past. “This sudden global epidemic in several countries is not normal,” Feigl-Ding said.
The increase in new cases in the past week for a traditionally very rare disease is “astronomical,” he continues. In Britain alone, the number of cases has doubled overnight from nine to 20.
Sickness already arrived throughout Europe?
In addition, the first case of infection in France occurred in a person who had not traveled recently – “this means that the disease has already spread widely”, the scientist is convinced that smallpox has now spread throughout Europe.
Data from Britain would also show that the previous cases are from a West African strain of smallpox – with a one percent death rate, even surpassing that of Covid-19 (0.6 percent in 2020).
The number of cases is likely to continue to rise in the summer
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Saturday that it was already developing guidelines to contain the spread of monkeypox. There are fears that the number of cases could rise further in the summer months, WHO chief infection risk adviser David Heymann told Reuters on Saturday.
The WHO believes the outbreak was caused by sexual contact.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
