30 May 2022 | 02:50 AM UTC
Europe: Monkeypox cases identified in more European countries; most cases are in Spain, Portugal, and the UK /update 2
Monkeypox cases identified in new areas of Europe in late May. Spain, Portugal, and UK remain most affected. Use basic health precautions.
Event
Public health officials report additional monkeypox cases in European countries during late May, where at least 412 suspected cases, including 383 confirmed, have occurred April 29-May 29. Suspected cases have been identified in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK - including England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Suspected cases previously reported in Greece were discarded. Risk to the broader population is considered low.
Most cases in this outbreak have occurred in Spain (139 cases), Portugal (74 cases), and the UK (106 cases), according to data through May 29. Detailed location information remains limited while disease surveillance and contact tracing continue; additional affected countries may be identified in the coming weeks.
Context
Many of the cases in this outbreak report attending one or more recent mass gatherings in Antwerp, Madrid, and Gran Canaria, Spain; mass gatherings always present an elevated risk of infectious disease. Human-to-human transmission occurs among people in close physical contact, with clusters of these recent cases reported in men having sex with men (MSM). The current outbreak highlights the importance of vigilant safe sexual practices and suggests monkeypox can be transmitted while the infected person displays few or no symptoms; however, the risk is currently assessed as low for individuals not routinely engaging with multiple or anonymous sexual partners.
Monkeypox does not naturally occur in Europe; most cases are reported in West and Central Africa, primarily in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, and Cameroon, among individuals who report contact with wild rodents or other mammals that may harbor the disease.
Monkeypox is caused by a virus that belongs to the same family as the virus that causes smallpox. However, monkeypox is not the same as smallpox, and it does not have the same capacity for rapid human-to-human transmission. Monkeypox is mainly transmitted to humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected rodents or primates. Human-to-human transmission primarily occurs through close personal contact with an infected individual via respiratory droplets, direct contact with bodily fluids, or indirect contact with lesion material - e.g., contaminated clothing or bedding. Symptoms typically appear 6-16 days after exposure but can develop up to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms generally include fever, headache, muscle and back aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and a distinctive rash characterized by lesions that progress through several stages before falling off.
Advice
Practice basic health precautions, including frequent handwashing with soap and water, covering the nose and mouth when coughing, and avoiding obviously ill individuals. Avoid overcrowded areas such as nightclubs and consider using safe sexual practices such as physical barriers (condoms) in countries reporting monkeypox transmission. Seek medical attention if symptoms develop within two weeks of being in affected areas, especially if you have had one or more new sexual partners.
