The WHO said it had received reports of 257 confirmed cases and 120 suspected cases in 23 countries where the virus is not endemic, according to a fresh update.
“What we’re seeing now is really quite different,” Rosamund Lewis, the group’s disease expert, told CNN.
“We’re seeing cases all appearing in a relatively short period of time. We’re seeing that in a few days, in a couple of weeks, we’re seeing over 500 cases.”
“This is different. This has not been seen before.”
Cases soar in Europe as WHO declares moderate risk
Monkeypox is an uncommon viral infection that spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated objects from one person to another.
Before it develops into a rash, it can cause fevers, headaches, muscular pains, backaches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and weariness, starting at the mouth and face and spreading to the rest of the body.
The majority of cases have been found in Central and West Africa since it was first discovered in humans in 1970.
As per Yahoo, the majority of the 550 cases that have been detected so far have occurred in Europe.
Officials in the United Kingdom verified 179 instances on Tuesday, while Spain reported 120.
The monkeypox outbreak has been classified as a moderate worldwide public health threat by the WHO.
“Considering this is the first time that monkey cases and clusters are reported concurrently in widely disparate WHO geographical areas, and without known epidemiological links to non-endemic countries in West or Central Africa.”
Not another pandemic
The WHO is not concerned about a global pandemic of monkeypox, despite the fact that the source of the outbreak is unclear.
“It’s been there before, and we do have a baseline of knowledge that we can build on, but there are many questions still,” Ms. Lewis said.
The WHO will meet this week to create a research strategy and discuss the virus’s priorities.
Meanwhile, it is asking countries to seize the “window of opportunity” to prevent the spread of cases.
Healthcare providers are being warned to keep an eye out for any signs and to test anyone who exhibits them.