WHO: no need for mass vaccination against monkeypox now
The World Health Organisation does not consider mass vaccination necessary in connection with the outbreak of monkeypox among humans – as stated by Rosamund Lewis, WHO Head of the Smallpox Secretariat which is part of the WHO Emergencies Programme, RIA Novosti reports
She stressed that there is no need for mass vaccinations and large immunisation campaigns. Ms. Lewis drew attention to the fact that monkeypox is transmitted mainly through close physical contact, and therefore contact tracing, investigation and isolation are the main methods of control.
Monkeypox, which is typically a mild viral infection, is endemic in several African countries including Cameroon, Ivory Coast, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan and Nigeria.
However, there has been a recent outbreak of dozens of cases in an array of non-endemic countries, including in Europe, the Middle East and North America.
Since the beginning of May, there have been about 300 confirmed or suspected cases in about 20 countries where the virus was not previously circulating.
