Source: Securities Times
On the 20th, local time, with more than 100 confirmed and suspected cases of monkeypox in Europe, the World Health Organization confirmed that an emergency meeting on monkeypox was held on the same day.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on the 20th that it had recently received reports from a number of countries with a total of about 80 cases of monkeypox and another 50 cases to be confirmed.
Who: a total of 80 cases have been reported worldwide, and monkeypox cases found in many countries are "atypical"
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on the 20th that it had recently received reports from several countries of about 80 cases of monkeypox, with another 50 cases to be confirmed, according to CCTV News. The discovery of monkeypox cases in several countries where monkeypox is not endemic is "atypical".
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed an emergency meeting on monkeypox on Tuesday, with more than 100 confirmed and suspected monkeypox cases in Europe, the China Daily reported, citing Reuters. At present, monkeypox cases have been reported in many countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, the United States, Canada and Australia.
Specifically, following the announcement of the first confirmed case of monkeypox in the UK on May 7, confirmed or suspected cases have also been found in several countries:
The Canadian Public Health Agency said on the evening of May 20 local time that three more monkeypox cases had been confirmed in Quebec, bringing the number of confirmed monkeypox cases nationwide to five, all in Quebec. In addition, the Department of Public Health is still investigating more than 20 other suspected cases in Quebec. It is reported that the disease has never been found in Canada before, while a confirmed case of monkeypox in the United States recently traveled to Quebec, Canada.
The Dutch National Institute of Health and Environment announced on the 20th that the country had confirmed one case of monkeypox virus infection and several suspected cases.
On the 20th, local time, the UK reported 11 new cases of monkeypox, with a total of 20 confirmed cases.
On the morning of May 20, local time, the Ministry of Health of Spain said that the National Center for Microbiology tested positive for 23 suspected monkeypox cases, which means that the cumulative number of monkeypox cases in the country has reached 30. All confirmed cases are from the Madrid region. According to health authorities in the Madrid region, all confirmed cases are male, with an average age of about 35.
A patient in the German state of Bavaria was infected with monkeypox, the first confirmed case of monkeypox in Germany, the Federal Wehrmacht Institute of Microbiology in Munich said on the 20th.
On May 20, local time, health authorities in New South Wales and Victoria both confirmed that one case of monkeypox had been found each. Both cases arrived in Australia recently from Europe with mild symptoms after infection and are currently quarantined.
On May 18, local time, Portuguese health authorities confirmed 5 cases of monkeypox and are still investigating 15 suspected cases, all male, with skin damage.
On May 18, local time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the United States this year.
On May 20, local time, the Swedish government decided to list monkeypox as a general dangerous disease. Social Affairs Minister Harrengren said, "this decision means that control measures to prevent further transmission of infection will be allowed, and it is also important to convey information to vulnerable groups and health services to be prepared to deal with and track suspected cases." "
Experts are worried that it may be hidden and spread in the community.
Recent confirmed or suspected cases of monkeypox in Europe continue to increase. The World Health Organization is concerned that monkeypox cases in many countries or implying that the monkeypox virus has spread concealed in the community, the number of infections may further increase in the future.
According to the German military medical department, this is the "largest" monkeypox epidemic experienced in Europe.
Hans Kluge, regional director of World Health Organization (WHO) for Europe, said on the 20th that unlike the previous monkeypox epidemic in Africa, the recent monkeypox outbreak in Europe is "atypical": with the exception of one infected person, none of the infected people have traveled to risk areas of the monkeypox epidemic; most of the infected people have been diagnosed by STD clinics; and confirmed cases have been found throughout Europe and even outside Europe. With the arrival of summer and the increase in gathering activities, "I am worried that the spread will accelerate," Kluge said.
Earlier, the Spanish newspaper Nacional reported on May 20 that the monkeypox virus had spread in the Madrid region of Spain in the second half of April 2022. According to health authorities in the Madrid region, most known cases of monkeypox virus infection in the region have developed symptoms from May 7 to 8, while the incubation period of the monkeypox virus usually lasts from 6 to 13 days and in some cases lasts for three weeks. Madrid Regional Health Director General Andradas said there was evidence that one of the cases began to develop symptoms at the end of April. With the increase in the number of cases and the progress of epidemiological investigations, coupled with the release of a report of monkeypox cases in the UK, these cases are beginning to be identified as suspected monkeypox cases.
However, epidemiologists believe that the monkeypox epidemic in Europe is unlikely to develop into a global epidemic. Fabian Lundz, of the Robert Koch Institute for Disease Control and Prevention in Germany, said the monkeypox epidemic is unlikely to last long. "by tracking close contacts, these cases can be well isolated and, if necessary, drugs and effective vaccines can also be used."
Who: there are many unknowns about monkeypox. "male sex" is a new clue.
Ibrehima Sousse Filer, Assistant Director-General for Emergency response of the World Health Organization, said at a press conference of the organization a few days ago that monkeypox is mainly endemic in West and Central Africa, and cases are mostly found in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic and other countries. For example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported more than 6000 cases in 2020 and more than 3000 in 2021; the number of cases in Nigeria is also increasing this year, mainly in rural areas. At present, the transmission mode, clinical characteristics and epidemiology of monkeypox are still unknown, and there are still gaps in treatment and diagnosis.
With regard to the monkeypox cases reported in the UK, he said that World Health Organization (WHO) was in close communication with regional offices, British public health authorities and partners, not only to monitor people who had been in contact with cases with travel history in Nigeria, but also to monitor cases of local transmission in the UK. World Health Organization (WHO) noted the spread of monkeypox among men who had sex with men, which is a new clue that requires correct investigation to better understand local transmission in the UK and other countries.
Michael Ryan, executive director of World Health Organization (WHO) 's Health Emergency Project, said that the epidemiological situation of monkeypox has changed in the past few years, and the scope of monkeypox has expanded. In West Africa and the Sahel, with increasing climate pressures and changing agricultural practices, human beings in many cases have to adapt to the environment in order to survive. At the same time, small animals and rodents are also adapting to the environment, living in the same drought and food crisis, bringing animal populations closer to humans, sometimes competing for the same food resources.
He stressed the need to truly understand the deep ecological and human behaviour of the above-mentioned areas, to involve communities and empower them to understand how the disease spreads, and then to try to stop the spread of the disease to humans from natural sources.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis. Monkeypox virus can be transmitted from animals to humans through close contact. Although it is not easy to transmit from person to person, it may also be infected in close contact with the infected person.
The monkeypox virus was first found in monkeys in 1958, so it was named monkeypox, but now rodents are also considered to be the main animal hosts.
In 1970, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) found the first case of human monkeypox infection. Since then, there have been several outbreaks of monkeypox in West African countries.
The main mode of transmission of monkeypox virus is through direct contact with the blood, body fluids, skin or mucosal wounds of infected animals.
The secondary transmission between humans is mainly due to close contact with respiratory secretions, skin injuries, or articles contaminated by the patient's body fluids or diseased tissues (such as clothes, bed sheets, etc.).
Monkeypox virus can be present in respiratory droplets, but it usually takes a long time of face-to-face contact to spread.
The incubation period of monkeypox can reach 5ml for 21 days. In the early stage of the disease, the symptoms include fever, headache, muscle soreness, back pain, enlarged lymph nodes and so on.
Usually within 3 days after fever, the patient will develop a rash of varying degrees, which spreads from the face to other parts of the body. The rash develops from a flattened macular papule to a small fluid-filled blister to a pustule, which forms a scab after about 10 days and then disappears completely after about three weeks. When a rash occurs, the patient is contagious.
Who: there are two evolutionary branches of monkeypox virus, one of which may have a fatality rate of 10%.
According to CCTV online Express, World Health Organization (WHO) said that the monkeypox virus has evolution branches in West Africa and Congo Basin. According to records, the case fatality rate of the West African branch of the virus is about 1%, and the case fatality rate of its Congo basin branch may reach 10%.
It is still unknown whether the outbreak was caused by a new monkey poxvirus strain. At present, researchers have not completely ruled out the possibility of a pandemic, but believe that the possibility is very low.
How to prevent monkeypox virus?
Common household disinfectants can kill monkeypox virus.
Avoid contact with animals that may carry the virus. In addition, wash hands with soapy water or use alcoholic hand sanitizer after contact with infected people or animals. It is also recommended to wear protective equipment when taking care of patients.
In addition, monkeypox virus is a "close relative" of human smallpox virus, but monkeypox infection symptoms are mild, smallpox vaccine can also prevent monkeypox, the effective rate is about 85%.
Us media: the US government has ordered millions of doses of monkeypox vaccine
Us health authorities have ordered millions of doses of monkeypox vaccine worth 119 million US dollars after the United States reported its first case of monkeypox infection this year, Newsweek reported Monday.
Bavarian Nordic, a Danish vaccine company, said in a statement on the 18th that it had signed a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars with the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency (BARDA).
In addition to vaccines, the U.S. Department of Defense signed a $7.5 million contract with pharmaceutical companies last week to purchase an antiviral drug for monkeypox, Russia Today reported on the 20th.
The concept stock changed, and this one soared 43%.
In the context of the outbreak in many countries, "monkeypox" has also caused a shock in the capital market.
On Friday, Zhijiang Bio in the A-share market was pulled straight up to the "20cm" limit. As of the close, Zhijiang Bio was up 16.34%. In addition, Daan genes, master's biology and so on have also soared.
In addition to A-share listed companies, U. S. stocks also have related concept stock changes. On May 20, local time, biopharmaceutical US stocks, which develop therapeutic drugs and vaccines for smallpox, rose as of the close.$SIGA Technologies (SIGA.US) $Soar by 43.35%$Emergent BioSolutions (EBS.US) $Rose by more than 11.49%$Tonix Pharmaceuticals (TNXP.US) $It's up 14.93%.
At present, in the A-share market, it is reported that Zhijiang biological products have monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kit (fluorescent PCR method). However, Zhijiang has not responded to this for the time being.
Da'anji has a reserve of scientific research products related to monkeypox virus, but there are no related certified reagents at present.
In addition, Shuoshi Bio's official website shows that the company has monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kit (fluorescent PCR method), item number is JC70115. However, according to media reports, the company has not obtained a registration certificate for this product, which is only used for disease control and scientific research.
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