More than 2,700 cases of infection with the Monkeypox virus have been recorded in France, including 244 in Occitanie, the 2nd most affected region. The Toulouse University Hospital has already vaccinated 600 people, but the fear is great that it will no longer be able to contain this virus.
The vaccination campaign once morest monkey pox (Monkeypox virus) marks an acceleration in Occitania where, according to the latest figures from the Regional Health Agency (ARS Occitanie), 2,865 doses of vaccine have been administered in the 20 centers open to this effect. This movement responds to a request. On the La Grave hospital site alone (Toulouse University Hospital), nearly 600 people have been vaccinated since the start of the campaign. The management of the Toulouse University Hospital indicates that appointments have been offered to all patients on the waiting list (it exceeded 300 people two weeks ago) thanks to the establishment of a dedicated team. . Throughout Haute-Garonne, 811 doses of vaccines were administered.
Few hospitalizations, no deaths
Since July 11, vaccination once morest monkeypox is no longer just for people in risky contact with an infected person. It is now recommended for prevention among those most exposed to the virus: men who have sex with men (MSM) and have multiple sexual partners; trans people with multiple sex partners; sex workers; professionals in places of sexual consumption. In the event of symptoms or infection, it is also recommended to limit situations of physical contact, to wear a mask (even in the absence of a sore throat) and clothing that covers pimples well (information to be found on the site sexosafe).
As of August 18, Occitanie has recorded 244 confirmed cases of monkeypox. This infectious disease is characterized in particular by lesions on the skin or mucous membranes, fever in the first days. It can also lead to lymph node reactions, secondary infections and pain in the affected areas. Healing occurs following three to four weeks. No death or serious form of the disease has been recorded to date, “the reported cases are mostly mild”, specifies ARS Occitanie.
More cases in two months than since the beginning of the XXe century
However, the disease is being carefully monitored. “It is not a new virus, two variants have been known in Central Africa and West Africa since the 1970s, but we had never seen it in France. It is above all the first time that we have seen such an epidemic spread in the world with more than 30,000 cases. This number is certainly greatly underestimated: because we cannot screen everyone, because we can be asymptomatic and because the fear of stigmatization and the constraints of isolation (minimum three weeks) weigh on the people concerned, ”explains Professor Guillaume Martin-Blondel, infectious disease specialist at the University Hospital Center (CHU) of Toulouse, who has received several patients since May, three of whom required hospitalization for severe pain or secondary infections of the lesions.
“There is no reason for the spread of the virus to stop there, as it is likely that serious forms of the disease will appear when fragile people are affected. Especially if we let the virus spread in the population, even to animals (a case already observed in Paris). Cerebral, ocular, pulmonary and cardiac damage have been reported in Africa. The more the number of infected people increases, the more the probability of seeing serious forms appear increases. When a virus enters our ecosystem, it is difficult to contain it. In two months there have been more cases diagnosed than since the beginning of the 20th century,” warns Professor Martin-Blondel.
Where to get information, where to get vaccinated in Haute-Garonne
A telephone line has been set up at national level to answer all questions regarding symptoms, vaccination, what to do, etc.: Monkeypox Info service, 0801 90 80 69 (free call from a landline in France, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. 7 days a week).
In Haute-Garonne, three sites ensure the vaccination of patients once morest monkey pox or monkeypox virus:
- the municipal vaccination center of La Daurade (by appointment, Tel: 05 61 22 23 44);
- the vaccination center at Joseph Ducuing hospital (Tel: 05 61 77 50 30)
- the CeGIDD (Free Center for Information, Screening and Diagnosis) on the hospital site of La Grave, Cité de la Santé (Toulouse University Hospital) where a dedicated telephone line has been set up (Tel.: 05 61 77 79 76, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday).
Information is also available on the website of Public health France and on sexosafe
