France: On Alert for the Sporadic Cases of Mpox
Packs of Vaccines for the Mpox Virus, Aug 2024 Photo: @libe
August 19, 2024 Hour: 2:38 pm
“There are great chances of sporadic cases” of the new variant “appear, and certainly soon”.
French Minister of Health, Frédéric Valletoux, considers that “sporadic cases” of mpox are very likely to appear soon in France in view of the spread of the epidemic in Africa and the detection of an infected person in Sweden.
Related:
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In an interview published today by the Sunday newspaper La Tribune, Valletoux said that so far no one has been discovered on French territory and that when there is any suspicion, an analysis of the genetic sequences is carried out.
But he admitted that “there are great chances of sporadic cases” of the new variant “appear, and certainly soon”.
Their forecast aligns with that of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) which in a risk assessment updated on Friday already warned that it is “very likely” there will be more imported cases of mpox (the disease formerly known as monkey smallpox), although he ruled out that there could be a continued contagion if action is taken quickly.
France must expect the appearance of “sporadic cases” of monkey pox (Mpox), warned Minister of Health in Current Affairs Frédéric Valletoux.
“France is not isolated. As with all European countries, reported cases are expected, particularly due to the comings and goings with affected areas in Africa,” he said in a media interview on Monday.
On the same day, the French Prime Minister in office, Gabriel Attal, announced that the health system was entering a state of “maximum vigilance” in view of the risk of potential cases of the new variant of mpox (formerly called monkey smallpox).
This translates into “new information measures and recommendations” for travellers from risk areas, but also in instructing regional health agencies to inform health personnel and different organizations that care for people at risk about this new variant of mpox.
As regards vaccination, the minister explained that in the last three years “some 150,000 people” have been vaccinated in France following the epidemic wave of 2022, and admits that it is “too early” to know for sure the level of efficacy for the new variant.
Autor: CC
Fuente: EFE
