The US declared a national health emergency

The US declared a national health emergency

The statement occurs when the case count exceeded 6,600 in United States on Wednesday, almost all among men who have sex with men.

“We are prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus, and we urge all Americans to take monkeypox seriously.”said the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, at a press conference.

The declaration will also help improve the availability of data on monkeypox, said the director of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Rochelle Walensky, who participated in the press conference with Bacerra. .

international emergency

The World Health Organization it also called monkeypox a “public health emergency of international concern,” its highest alert level.

Last month’s WHO statement was aimed at triggering a coordinated international response and could unlock funds to collaborate on vaccines and treatments.

First identified in monkeys in 1958, the disease has mild symptoms including fever, aches and pus-filled skin lesions, and people tend to recover in two to four weeks, according to the World Health Organization. The virus spreads through close physical contact and is rarely fatal.

Anthony Fauci, US President Joe Biden’s top medical adviser told Reuters on Thursday that engaging gay community leaders was critical as part of efforts to curb the outbreak, though he cautioned against stigmatization.

“Community involvement has always proven to be successful,” Fauci said.

Unlike when Covid-19 emerged, vaccines and treatments are available for monkeypox, which was first documented in Africa in the 1970s.

Source: Ambito

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