infectious
98.1% IN MEN
The director of the ECDC, Andrea Ammon, has reported that “the number of cases has decreased a lot since the peak in July”, despite this she has warned that “there is a risk of an increase in the next spring season”
From May 16, 2022 to April 4, 2023, there have been reports 21,170 cases of MPox in 29 countries of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA), including six deaths, as published in a report by the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC, for its acronym in English).
Most cases have been detected in males (98.1%) of between 18 and 40 years old (64.6%), and mainly among men who have sex with men. The weekly number of reported smallpox cases in the EU/EEA peaked in July 2022, and since then a steady downward trendreaching a plateau with very low figures since the end of December 2022.
ECDC Director, Andrea Ammonhas reported that “the number of cases has decreased a lot since the peak in July”, despite this, it has warned that “there is the risk of an increase in the upcoming spring season and summer due to the holidays and increased vacation travel.” “Early diagnosis, isolation, partner notification, and contact tracing remain critical to effective control of this outbreak and must be supported by strategies adequate vaccination and behavior change,” he added.
From the ECDC they have reported that vaccines can be used as post-exposure vaccination or as a primary preventive (pre-exposure) vaccination for people at high risk of exposure during this outbreak. Preliminary data indicates that, as of March 3, 2023, more than 300,000 doses of vaccine in 25 EU/EEA countries.
“Early diagnosis, isolation, partner notification and contact tracing remain critical to effective control of this outbreak”
In this sense, the ECDC indicates that tests must be widely available to improve rapid access, particularly in clinical settings that care for men who have sex with men, since this is where the populations most at risk are likely to access the healthcare.
Health promotion interventions, risk communication and community engagement are essential to ensure a effective dissemination and high acceptance and uptake of the vaccine among those most at risk of exposure, as well as to strengthen testing, partner notification, or contact tracingthe isolation of cases and behavior change.
In addition, the ECDC has claimed that close collaboration with civil society and community organizations that serve populations at risk is also key to the success of risk communication and community engagement efforts. This includes the contact with the owners of the premises and the organizers of the Pride events. Clinicians must also be aware of how to rapidly detect and report smallpox cases to public health authorities to allow for timely and responsive public health interventions.
Because health we all need… ConSalud.es
