Most of the current cases of monkeypox in Europe "have presented with mild disease symptoms and, for the wider population, the likelihood of spread is very low ."
Thus Andrea Ammon , director of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control ( Ecdc ), who published an initial risk assessment of the disease.
"However - explains Ammon - the probability of further spread of the virus through close contact, for example during sexual activities between people with multiple partners, is considered high".
THE SEQUENCING - Meanwhile, the first sequence of the virus has arrived: made known online, it was obtained in Portugal , in Lisbon, by a research group of the Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA ).
The virus looks very similar to the one that caused cases in various countries including Britain, Singapore and Israel in 2018-19. In 2018, there were three cases in the UK after a person returning from Nigeria infected two other family members.
"The EU health security committee will discuss monkeypox tomorrow and our emergency health response and preparedness authorities, Hera, the ECDC and the EMA, are working closely together to ensure that information on the situation epidemiological and the availability of vaccines and treatments are ensured "the words of the EU commissioner for health, Stella Kyriakides, after the publication of the first ECDC risk assessment.
The EU Health Security Committee is made up of experts from the Commission and the Member States and has the task of strengthening the coordination and sharing of information on national responses to health threats.
EVOLVING SITUATION - "Although currently the probability of diffusion in the wider population is low - added the commissioner - the situation is evolving and we must remain vigilant, guarantee the traceability of contacts and an adequate diagnostic capacity, and have the vaccines, antivirals and personal protective equipment necessary for healthcare professionals ".
The Commission, concluded Kyriakides, "is ready to actively support and coordinate the EU response with all available resources".
DIFFUSION - According to the ECDC , in total 85 cases of monkeypox acquired in eight EU Member States (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden) have been reported in Europe. In Italy , after the three cases found in Rome, one was detected in the last few hours in Arezzo.
(Unioneonline / vl)