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European health authorities are refusing to take any further community-wide measures to combat the new monkeypox variant. Experts say the risk to the general population is low.
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There is no need for the EU to introduce border controls to prevent the risk of monkeypox spreading or to start community-wide vaccination against the virus.
This is the conclusion reached by the European Commission’s Health Security Committee. Earlier, members of the relevant Committee met with experts from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the European Medicines Agency. Representatives of the World Health Organization and the Africa Centre for Disease Control took part in the meeting, which was held via videoconference.
A European Commission spokesman told Euronews that the public health situation should not be considered a public health emergency at this time.
At the same time, the Public Health Security Committee stressed the importance of a coordinated approach to the problem and the need to continue to closely monitor the situation.
As for vaccination, the recommendation to get vaccinated remains only for certain groups of the population.
The conference comes after WHO last week declared monkeypox (mpox) a public health emergency of international concern as the outbreak spreads across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighbouring African countries.
Since the first human case of monkeypox was reported in 1970, the virus has become endemic in countries in central and western Africa. This is the second time that a public health emergency has been declared for the virus. The first was in 2022, following a global outbreak of mpox in countries (including in Europe) that had not previously reported cases.
This time, the outbreak is caused by a subtype of the virus known as clade I, which is thought to cause more severe disease.
With recent reports of the spread of the mpox virus, some countries are stepping up surveillance and launching information campaigns.
Monica Garcia, Spain’s health minister, said the government would work with airport authorities and airlines to provide information to tourists heading to Spain. However, she said there was no talk of closing the border.
Last week, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control warned that there was a high risk of an increase in imported cases of monkeypox as the virus spreads to many African countries.
Experts believe the virus’s impact on Europe is currently low, but recommend raising public awareness of monkeypox, testing and contact tracing.
Experts warn that monkeypox virus is transmitted to humans not only through contact with infected animals. The virus can also be transmitted from person to person during sex or through airborne droplets. Virus-infected objects, such as towels or bed linen, also pose a danger.
