2024-08-16 07:26:13
This undated image from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland, shows monkeypox particles (green) found inside infected cells (pink and purple) grown in a laboratory ) color transmission electron micrograph. Handout/AFP
The virus continued to spread on Friday, August 16, two days after the World Health Organization (WHO) activated the highest level of health alert due to a resurgence of the epidemic in Africa. The current strong resurgence of the disease in Africa is largely due to a new strain of the virus, clade 1b, which is more contagious and more dangerous than previous strains.
A resurgence of MPOX in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has also affected Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, with the World Health Organization on Wednesday declaring the country a public health emergency of international concern, with an alert saying the level was high to the extent that it can be triggered.
China tightens immigration controls
Beijing announced on Friday that it was tightening controls on people and goods who may have been exposed to the measles virus. The latter spreads the viral disease of the same name – formerly known as monkeypox – from animals to humans. It is also spread through close physical contact with someone who has the virus. Mpox is characterized especially by pustules and fever.
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People from countries or regions affected by the MPOX virus and “People who have been exposed to a case” disease or who “Showing symptoms” must “Proactively declare to customs” After they arrived in China, Chinese Customs informed them of the situation in a press release.
“Customs officers will take medical measures and conduct sampling and testing in accordance with procedures.”they clarified. In addition, transport vehicles, containers or cargo from affected areas “Contaminated or likely to be contaminated” Disinfection is required, according to the release. The measures will be implemented from Friday for six months.
prime minister of pakistan
On Friday, August 16, Pakistan reported its first case on its soil. “Pakistan confirms first case of MPOX”A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health announced in a press release, adding that the infected people came from the Gulf countries, where no cases of the new variant have been reported.
However, the United Arab Emirates has recorded 16 cases of smallpox since 2022, according to the World Health Organization. As a hub connecting the east and west of the world, the UAE, with its long-haul airlines including Emirates and Etihad Airways, has been particularly affected by the transnational epidemic.
READ ALSO | New mpox variant: Sweden reports first case of infection, WHO warns of risk of imported cases in Europe
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The strain of the MPOX virus responsible for the case, which was discovered in Pakistan on Friday, was not immediately known, the Ministry of Health said in a statement. Irshad Roghani, public health director of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan, said the Pakistani patient was a 34-year-old man who was in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Hva for treatment. “For genetic sequencing of the strain, we are sending samples to Islamabad””, Mr. Rogani added. The Ministry of Health has requested that border controls and airport screenings be strengthened if travelers returning from abroad show symptoms of the disease.
Danish vaccine maker hopes to approve it for adolescents
Bavarian Nordic, the Danish pharmaceutical laboratory that produces the mpox vaccine, announced on Friday that it had asked the European Medicines Agency to expand use of its serum to adolescents aged 12 to 17.
“Interim results from a clinical study show that the immune response to MPOX and smallpox vaccines in adolescents is not inferior, and the safety profile is similar to that in adults.”écrit Bavaria Nordic in press release.
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In the United States, during the last MPO epidemic in 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization for adolescent vaccines. The epidemic is spread in part through sexual relations, but the virus also spreads through non-sexual contact, also threatening children where the disease appears to be more dangerous.
On Thursday, Bavarian Nordic said it was ready to produce up to 10 million doses of the vaccine in 2025.
Sweden reports first case of infection on Thursday
The day before, Sweden reported its first case of a more contagious and dangerous variant of the MPOX virus, which has killed at least 548 people since the beginning of the year in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the worst-affected country. Patient becomes infected during visit “In Africa, the epidemic of mpox clade 1 is serious”Epidemiologist Magnus Gieslen declared in a press release from the agency.
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World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the first case was detected in Sweden “Stressing the need for affected countries to work together to fight the virus.” In line with measures taken by Beijing, the Director-General of the World Health Organization on Friday encouraged X “Countries are stepping up surveillance, sharing data and working to better understand the spread of the virus.”
Europe must ‘prepare’ for rising cases
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said that EU countries must prepare for an increase in MPO cases. agent “Health authorities are advised to maintain a high level of preparedness planning (…) to be able to quickly detect and respond to any new cases.”she said in a press release. “Due to the close links between Europe and Africa, we must be prepared for more imported type 1 cases”stressed Pamela Rendi-Wagner, Director of ECDC.
READ ALSO | Article reserved for our subscribers Why the World Health Organization has classified the MPO epidemic in Africa as a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern”
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A sharp increase in measles cases, particularly in central Africa, prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to activate the highest international alert level on Wednesday.
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