WHO is asking those infected with monkeypox and their contacts not to travel

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged people infected with monkeypox, suspected cases of the disease and their close contacts not to travel to avoid spreading the virus. The health agency also asked countries to establish protocols for conducting diagnostic tests and preparing facilities for isolating suspected cases, in addition to requiring comprehensive vaccination for those who are ill or potentially infected with the prophylaxis of the human vaccine, which is still in small numbers as of produced by the Danish laboratory Bavarian Nordic.

Those are the key actions the WHO has proposed after the organization on Saturday defined monkeypox as an international public health emergency “by nature,” the maximum alert level that can be decreed for a disease. This statement allows the WHO to make recommendations that countries must comply with on paper, although later each government decides whether or not to do so, or what specific actions to take.

WHO experts were divided on raising the monkeypox alert to the highest level, but the agency’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, eventually backed the declaration of an international emergency.

Spain is the country in the world with the most cases, 3,125, according to the Health Ministry’s latest report released on Tuesday, and the number is still rising. This Sunday, health officials identified an outbreak of at least 12 cases of monkeypox linked to a tattoo, micropigmentation and piercing facility in San Fernando that was inspected and closed as a precaution.

The Ministry of Health and Family has confirmed to Europa Press that the cases have been reported to the epidemiological surveillance system of Andalusia and that the epidemiological investigation linked to the active search for cases and contacts has been launched.

The factory was also inspected in order to preventively close it down. The Board recalled the “importance that tattooing and piercing must be carried out correctly, so that there are no risks to the health of users or the workers themselves”.

According to the latest available data, released by the ministry on Friday, there are a total of 273 active cases of monkeypox in Andalusia and another 58 cases are under investigation.

As of July 21, the province that continues to register the most cases is Málaga with a total of 123, followed by Seville with 69, Cádiz with 30, Granada with 19, Córdoba with 18, seven in Huelva, four in Jaén .. and three in Almeria.

This Saturday, the WHO declared monkeypox an international health emergency of concern.