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Saturday, 11 June 2022

Information for journalists

New WHO resources on monkeypox

A Disease Outbreak News (DON) on the multi-country monkeypox outbreak: situation update was published on 10 June and can be accessed here:https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2022-DON392

WHO has also published the Clinical management and infection prevention and control for monkeypox: Interim rapid response guidance. The full document is available here:https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-MPX-Clinical-and-IPC-2022.1

Multi-country monkeypox outbreak: situation update (DON)

This Disease Outbreak News on the multi-country monkeypox outbreak is an update to the previously published Disease Outbreak News of 4 June, with updated data, some further detail on clinical description of cases, measures to increase the safety of gatherings, and again provides summaries of guidance, including on vaccination.

Outbreak at a glance

Since 13 May 2022, cases of monkeypox have been reported to WHO from 28 Member States across four WHO regions (the Region of the Americas as well as the European, Eastern Mediterranean, and Western Pacific Regions) where monkeypox is not usual or has not previously been reported (Figure 1). In addition, since the beginning of the year, there are 1,536 suspected cases reported from eight countries in the WHO African Region, of which 59 cases have been confirmed and 72 deaths reported.

The continuous detection of the virus and deaths reported in some countries in the African Region highlight the need to better understand the source, transmission dynamics and provide people with the information and support they need to protect themselves and others in a range of different contexts.

While epidemiological investigations are ongoing, most reported cases in the newly affected countries have presented through sexual health or other health services in primary or secondary health care facilities with travel history to countries in Europe and North America rather than to countries where the virus is known to be present. In the countries that have long experienced monkeypox, more analysis is needed to understand the ongoing and new sources of infection.

The sudden and unexpected appearance of monkeypox simultaneously in several regions without direct immediate travel links to areas that have long experienced monkeypox suggests that there may have been undetected transmission for several weeks or longer.

WHO assesses the risk at the global level as moderate considering this is the first time that many monkeypox cases and clusters are reported concurrently in many countries in widely disparate WHO geographical areas.

Clinical management and infection prevention and control for monkeypox: Interim rapid response guidance, 10 June 2022

In the context of the current multi-country monkeypox outbreak, WHO has developed interim rapid response guidance for the clinical management and infection prevention and control of monkeypox for health care and community settings.

It includes considerations for certain populations such as patients with mild disease with considerations for community care, patients with moderate to severe disease, sexually active persons, pregnant or breastfeeding women, children and young persons. The guidance also addresses considerations for clinical management such as the use of therapeutics, nutritional support, mental health services, and post-infection follow-up.

The document provides guidance for clinicians, health facility managers, health workers and infection prevention and control practitioners including but not limited to those working in primary care clinics, sexual health clinics, emergency departments, infectious diseases clinics, genitourinary clinics, dermatology clinics, maternity services, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology and acute care facilities that provide care for patients with suspected or confirmed monkeypox.

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