2024-08-17 12:44:44
On Wednesday 14 August, the World Health Organization (WHO) triggered a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in light of active transmission of Mpox clade I in Central Africa. To date, no clade I contamination has been recorded in France; however, the National Reference Center was mobilized to analyze the strain types in people diagnosed with MPOX.
In addition, since the 2022 epidemic (the second active cycle), the country has formulated effective response strategies for the Mpox epidemic in terms of prevention, rapid diagnosis, treatment of cases and contacts, and vaccination.
In the context of multiple epidemics with different viruses and different risk levels occurring in different countries, the World Health Organization announced PHEIC to call for the establishment of effective, coordinated and unified international response measures. In this sense, the Ministry of Labour, Health and Solidarity (MTSS) is preparing to donate vaccines and therapeutics at the request of European and international health authorities. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) currently considers the European population to be at low risk for infection with Mpox type I virus. As in Sweden, this does not prevent France from potentially announcing cases, for which health authorities will take appropriate management measures. Donation efforts targeting the most affected countries on the continent contribute to our overall strategy to protect our fellow citizens by helping to control infectious disease outbreaks.
Since the outbreak in 2022, health authorities have developed response strategies for the Mpox outbreak, including surveillance, prevention, rapid diagnosis, case and contact management, and vaccination. In particular, this response is based on increased awareness of high-risk groups defined by French public health authorities, reactive and preventive vaccination strategies targeting these groups, and rapid diagnostics across the territory. The strategy is currently being re-evaluated with health agencies to ensure it is fully effective for Arm I.
In terms of surveillance, orthopoxvirus infections, including Mpox, are subject to continuous monitoring by the mandatory notification system and the National Orthopoxvirus Reference Center (CNR) strain characterization. In light of the current alert, French public health authorities have stepped up surveillance of these infections.
Today, contamination of type I clade has not been recorded in France. It is a second strain of the virus that has been spreading quietly since the outbreak began in 2022, with the number of reported cases per month between January and June 2024 ranging from 12 to 26. Symptoms, no deaths. For any information requests, the “Monkeypox Information Service” telephone system established by the health authority in 2022 is ready to answer questions raised by Mpox. Open every day from 8 am to 11 pm, call the toll-free number 0 801 90 80 69 (free calls and services, anonymous and confidential), the system is responsible for providing information on symptoms, treatment, preventive measures and vaccinations, as well as directing them towards Support system.
The Ministry of Labour, Health and Solidarity would like to point out that in the context of the active spread of the Mpox type I branch in Central Africa, the health authorities are fully mobilized and a strong national response strategy has been developed. DGS Urgent specifically informed health professionals in the region about today’s situation, in addition to which the Directorate-General of Health will inform partners and associations that have been working in the field since 2022 to reduce the risk of the spread of the disease at national and regional levels. Finally, a meeting with the media will be organized in the coming days.
Contact information:
1724180679
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