The prevalence of monkeypox continues to increase

As of 28 July, 85 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in Sweden. An increase of 8 cases compared to the previous week. Cases were reported in several regions, but the majority were reported in the Stockholm region.

The increase was expected, and the number of cases will continue to increase, according to Anders Sonnerborg, professor of virology at Karolinska Institutet. But with infection control measures in place, he sees no danger of an uncontrollable development in Sweden.

– Then I think there are some who have very mild symptoms. It can be easy to miss and this is where the great diagnostic challenge lies.

It could explode worldwide

From a global perspective, the situation is a bit precarious, according to Anders Sonnerborg.

– It will be important in the next few weeks to see if it can explode significantly or stop.

A total of 17,800 cases of monkeypox have been detected in 70 countries, according to the latest WHO statistics (July 27). The number of new cases doubled every two weeks, according to the World Health Organization, which estimates that the number of cases will exceed 27,000 on August 2.

WHO advisory scientists have warned that it may be too late to stop the spread, Reuters writes.

The majority of cases, 13043, have been reported in Europe. More than half of European cases have been reported from the UK, Germany and France.

From a global perspective, we don’t know where this ends. Therefore, it is important that vaccines be developed and evaluated so that the outbreak can be controlled, says Anders Sonnerburg.

The vaccination has begun

Monkeypox vaccination began in the metropolitan areas of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö. It is people who have been in close contact with people with a confirmed infection who are given the vaccination as a precaution.

The vaccine helps reduce the risk of infection and combats the risk of disease.

Even if it is a self-healing infection, it is unpleasant to get it. But the important thing is that a person who has been exposed to monkeypox does not have physical contact with new people. If he or she abstains, the virus will not spread further, says Anders Sönnerholm.

Most of those infected so far are men between the ages of 20 and 65 years. Few people got seriously ill from monkeypox. Five people have died in the current outbreak, all in Africa, according to Reuters.